Mount Sorrel: Inside the Battle That Shook the Canadian Corps

The Battle of Mount Sorrel was supposed to be a quiet sector. Instead, on 2 June 1916, the Canadian Corps was hit by one of the most devastating surprise bombardments of the war. Mines erupted beneath their feet, trenches vanished in seconds, and entire units were nearly wiped out as German forces surged across the shattered ridge.

This episode digs into the brutal reality of the fighting around Mount Sorrel, Tor Top (Hill 62), and Sanctuary Wood — the last high ground overlooking Ypres. We follow the chaos of the opening bombardment, the loss of senior Canadian commanders, the desperate early counterattacks, and the meticulously planned assault that finally clawed the ridge back on 13 June.

Through eyewitness accounts, battlefield analysis, and the hard numbers — more than 8,000 Canadian casualties — we uncover how this overlooked battle forged the reputation of the Canadian Corps and reshaped the fight for the Ypres Salient.