Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Apr 03/02) - Brendan Matthews did not get much time to relax from competing at the Arctic Winter Games in Nuuk, Greenland, before he had to pack his bags again.

Brendan Matthews, a Grade 11 student at Sir John Franklin high, will join 11 other students from across Canada over in France to take part in a video conference commemorating the 85th anniversary of the battle of Vimy Ridge. - Mike W. Bryant/NNSL photo

This time the destination is France for the Grade 11 Sir John Franklin high school student. He was chosen among a group of his peers to take part in the commemoration ceremony to mark the 85th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.

"I was really surprised to be picked because the group of 12 picked by staff are quite smart and capable," said Matthews.

Veteran Affairs Canada approached the school two months ago asking if they would be interested in sending a student to take part in a live video conference broadcast on the anniversary date of Vimy Ridge's capture.

The battle of Vimy Ridge was a turning point in the First World War, and one of Canada's finest hours. The ridge remained a seemingly invincible German fortress for two years, repelling both French and British forces, before Canadian troops seized it during a three-day battle in the spring of 1917.

On April 10, Matthews will join 11 other Canadian students from each province and territory to provide live video feedback to their home schools. He added Vimy Ridge is a telling reminder that the Western world has its share of spilt blood, in light of the events of Sept. 11.

"It's kind of scary when you realize that those kind of wars don't just happen in Third World countries. When it happens so close to home it really makes you realize that this kind of stuff can happen anywhere."

Sir John principal Mieke Cameron echoed Matthews sentiments that Vimy Ridge was an important part of Canadian history, and that students should learn as much about it as possible.

"We were asked to talk about the tunnels (an extensive network of caves built by the Germans to shield them from artillery fire)," says Cameron. "Since we're a mining town, I couldn't think of a better topic."