THIS JUNE 10 AT HILL 70: THE INAUGURATION THAT COMPLETES THE MEMORIAL PARK -- AND A STORY OF CANADIAN LEADERSHIP THAT STILL MATTERS TODAY
KINGSTON, ON, June 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On 10 June 2026, Hill 70 Memorial Park in Loos-en-Gohelle, France, will inaugurate the Brutinel Visitors Pavilion, the last major structure at the memorial site to be formally dedicated. The pavilion naming is more than ceremonial. It gives lasting identity to the Memorial Park's principal welcome and interpretation space, and it does so with an identity that perfectly reflects the spirit of the site: Brigadier-General Raymond Brutinel, a French-born Canadian officer whose life and service bridge France and Canada hearkening innovation and remembrance, battlefield courage, and strategic relevance.
At a time when countries are again being tested by instability, pressure, and the demands of greater responsibility, the June 10 ceremony offers media a timely opportunity to revisit why the Battle of Hill 70 still matters. Fought from August 15 to 25, 1917, Hill 70 was the first major operation of the Canadian Corps under Canadian command, led by Lieutenant-General Sir Arthur Currie, and helped establish Canada as a serious military actor capable of independent judgment and effective leadership on the international stage.
Nation Building, Now More Important than Ever
That achievement is more than historical. Hill 70 reminds us that sovereignty is strengthened when a nation develops the confidence and capability to lead, and that so-called middle powers can shape events when they are prepared to act with clarity and resolve. The questions raised by Hill 70 — about readiness, leadership, and the responsibilities of nations that refuse to remain passive — have renewed relevance now.
Raymond Brutinel is the ideal figure to complete the memorial site's visitor pavilion. Born in France and later becoming a Canadian officer, he founded the Canadian Automobile Machine Gun Brigade and helped pioneer the mobile and indirect machine-gun fire that gave Canadian and Allied forces new operational capacity during WWI. Naming the pavilion for Brutinel underscores both the deep bond between France and Canada and the central role of innovation, initiative, and shared sacrifice in the Hill 70 story.
A Canadian-led Battle and Victory
Hill 70 Memorial Park honours the Canadian Corps' victory in the August 1917 Battle of Hill 70, where more than 100,000 Canadians fought under Canadian command to seize and hold the high ground overlooking Lens in northern France. In ten days of intense fighting, Canadian troops repelled repeated counterattacks, inflicted heavy losses on German forces, and helped cement Canada's reputation as an effective, independent fighting force. Completed in 2019, the Memorial Park's monument, amphitheatre, and interpretive walkways provide a dedicated site where visitors can learn about and reflect on this pivotal moment in Canada's emergence as a nation.
For editors and producers, this is the moment to cover Hill 70 not simply as remembrance, but as a contemporary story about leadership, identity, international partnership, and why the lessons of 1917 continue to speak to the present. June 10 completes the memorial site's built story — and offers a compelling visual and editorial occasion to tell it with patriotism, confidence, and relevance.
BRUTINEL VISITORS PAVILION INAUGURATION CEREMONY
LOOS-EN-GOHELLE, FRANCE
Event Program
12:00h Media accreditation opens
13:00h Reviewing Officer and party moves to Info Kiosk to be seated
13:05h Introduction of Master of Ceremonies
13:07h Invocation
13:09h Welcome Speech by Chairman of Hill 70
13:14h Speech by Mayor of Loos-en-Gohelle
13:15h Speech by French Representative
13:20h Speech by Senior Canadian Army Officer
13:25h Dedication of Brutinel Visitors Pavilion
Rendition by Pipe Band
13:35h Reading by Nathalia Baylaucq
13:40h Last Post, 1 minute of Silence, Rouse, Lament
13:45h Laying of Wreaths
13:55h National Anthems
14:10h Final Comments & Invitation to all to attend general reception
14:30h Media Interviews at Brutinel Visitors Pavilion
16:00h Tour of Hill 70 Memorial Park
Visual Opportunities
- Exterior shots of Hill 70 Memorial Park, including the monument and broader site.
- The Brutinel Visitor Pavilion name unveiling.
- Joint French and Canadian participation in the ceremony.
- Flags of Canada and France.
- Memorial Park context shots from the high ground and interpretive areas.
- Hill 70 landscape around Loos-en-Gohelle and Lens.
- Close-ups of signage, wreaths, flags, and archival display materials.
- Ceremonial laying of wreaths.
- Live pipe band performance.
- School children placing flags on headstones.
About Hill 70 Memorial Project:
Hill 70 Memorial Park honours the Canadian Corps' victory in the August 1917 Battle of Hill 70, where more than 100,000 Canadians fought under Canadian command to seize and hold the high ground overlooking Lens in northern France. In ten days of intense fighting, Canadian troops repelled repeated counter‑attacks, inflicted heavy losses on German forces, helping to cement Canada's reputation as an effective, independent fighting force. Completed in 2019, the Memorial Park's monument, amphitheatre, and interpretive trails provide a dedicated site where visitors can learn about and reflect on this pivotal moment in Canada's emergence as a nation.
Media Contact
Sonny Wong
Media
Hill 70 Memorial Park
Email: media@hill70.ca
Phone: +1-604-880-3758
Web: www.hill70.ca
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