INUVIK - While Chris Garven and Al Rice stood on the Legion parking lot saluting the cenotaph, they tried for a moment to give a face to the thousands of young men who died capturing Vimy Ridge.

"I was thinking about the unknown soldier especially, and the families throughout the world who suffered so many losses," said Rice, who's a member of the Legion's executive.

Legion president Don Craik lays a wreath in front of the cenotaph at the end of the service. - Andrew Rankin/NNSL photos

They were joined Friday morning by a handful of fellow Legion members, including president Don Craik, for a wreath-laying ceremony to commemorate the 93rd anniversary of the battle during the First World War. In 1917 Canadian forces launched an attack on German soldiers occupying France's Vimy Ridge. They succeeded where British and French forces failed before them.

During the three-day battle, 3,598 Canadian soldiers were killed and many more were wounded.

The unknown soldier Rice is referring to was chosen from a cemetery near Vimy Ridge. His remains are in a tomb on display at the National War Memorial in Ottawa. It represents any Canadian serving in the military who died or may die for their country.

Rice, who served 36 years as a Master Warrant Officer in the Canadian Air Force, came up with the idea for the ceremony. He said the battle was monumental for two reasons.

"The most important thing is Canada fought as a group and Canada took that ridge and they didn't give it back," he said. It was a birth of a nation. It signified that we can be a nation unto our own."

This year's anniversary, which was honoured in many Canadian communities, took on special significance with the death of John Babcock, Canada's last living First World War veteran, who fought in the Vimy Ridge battle. He died in February at the age of 109.

"It was a generation passed," Rice said of Babcock's death. "It's important for us to make note of that, to say we're going to carry on with this tradition of remembrance."

Garven concurred, suggesting that the battle of Vimy Ridge symbolized the tremendous commitment and sacrifice soldiers made for the Commonwealth during that war. More than 66,000 Canadian soldiers died during the First World War.

"We were a pretty small country at that time," he said. "These men were willing to die to take over a piece of (French) soil from the Germans. They took a piece of land that no one else was able to take. A number of different countries tried but the Canadians came in and steamrolled their way through. It's a pretty remarkable feat."

While vacationing in France with his wife three years ago, Garven travelled to the Canadian National Vimy Memorial to witness a ceremony marking the 90th anniversary of the battle. He said the occasion, which drew thousands, including Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Queen Elizabeth, was awe inspiring.

Garven said in the neighbouring community of Arras, residents continued to celebrate the historic occasion for about a week after.

"There were so many festivities," he said. "Everywhere you looked people were waving Canadian flags. After 90 years they were still so thankful."

The memorial bears the names of 11,285 Canadian soldiers who died in France and whose remains were never found.

While taking part in the Legion anniversary ceremony, Garven's thoughts turned back to those names.

"I was thinking about the monument and the names that are engraved on it and just thinking about the number of people who laid down their lives so we could have the freedoms that we enjoy," he said.

As for Rice, he said Inuvik residents and other Canadians are doing a fine job remembering those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

"The last Remembrance Day ceremony here was packed with people," he said.

"Since I've been here, for 10 years now, there's been more of an awareness and a participation, especially from the youth. They're realizing the importance of our history."