Arthur Currie, a farm boy from southwestern Ontario, entered the First World War without any professional military experience under his belt.

But using his brilliant tactical skills, Currie went on to lead the Canadian Corps to victory at Vimy Ridge, one of the bloodiest battles in recorded history, and he was credited with ultimately accelerating the end of the Great War.

"His slogan was pay the price of victory in shells -- not lives," said historian Jack Hyatt. "And if he did anything heroic it was that."

Currie was a towering figure at six-foot-two, but he wasn't what many people would consider a hero. He wasn't known for inspiring troops with Churchillian speeches; he was described as aloof by his troops and he even earned the nickname "Guts and Gaiters." But observers said despite his lack of skill with words, he still found ways to inspire the best out of his men, one by one and in small groups.

Currie prepared relentlessly for every battle, including the unexpected victory by Canadian battalions at the Battle of Vimy Ridge in April, 1917.

McGill University historian Desmond Morton said Canadians achieved the "impossible" during that attack, in which all four divisions of the Canadian Corps advanced on the Ridge as they came under heavy fire from three German defensive lines.

"Imagine crossing a canal under every kind of fire the Germans could bring to bear on you," Morton told CTV News. "How do you do that and not lose tens of thousands of men? Well, Currie did it."

One of Currie's war strategies was a French-invented technique called the "creeping barrage" in which troops advanced behind a rain of artillery which would fall just ahead of the front line.

From the French hilltop, the Canadian Corps was able to sweep into dug-in German positions, and the main position was in Canadian hands by the end of April 9.

Currie and the Canadian Corps were also successful at the November 1917 Battle of Passchendaele (the Third Battle of Ypres), although it cost the lives of 16,000 soldiers.

Currie was promoted to commander of the Canadian Corps after the success of Vimy Ridge. He became the first Canadian to lead the Canadian Corps, who had been led strictly by British commanders.

Currie was knighted on the battlefield by King George V and was described as "brilliant" by Britain's wartime leader David Lloyd George.

His pre-war story, however, is far from glorious. Before the Battle of Vimy Ridge, Currie was almost court-martialed for misappropriating $10,000 from a regiment in which he served to pay off a personal debt. The affair came to the attention of Sir Robert Borden, then Canada's prime minister, but he refused to court martial Canada's best soldier.

But those blemishes are but a blip in the radar for many, including those at Strathroy District Collegiate Institute, the southwestern Ontario high school Currie attended.

A history classroom there is named after him, an historic plaque commemorates his achievements, and a local legion hall bears his name.

"The second you know he's from Strathroy and you have that sort of connection with him, your ears perk up," said Strathroy student Amy Mendonca. "You listen a little more and you want to know more about him."

Nearly 3,600 Canadian students will be doing just that this weekend, as they join thousands of other Canadians in Vimy Ridge to commemorate the battle's 90th anniversary and honour this country's war heroes.

With a report from CTV's Graham Richardson