Battle of the Canal du Nord
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Canal du Nord was part of a general Allied
offensive against German
positions on the Western Front during the Hundred Days Offensive
of World War I
. The battle took place in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France
, along an incomplete portion of the Canal du Nord
and on the outskirts of Cambrai
between 27 September and 1 October 1918. To avoid the risk of having extensive German reserves massed against a single Allied attack, the assault along the Canal du Nord was undertaken as part of a number of closely sequenced Allied attacks at separate points along the Western Front. It began one day after the Meuse-Argonne Offensive
, one day before an offensive in the Flanders
region of Belgium
and two days before the Battle of St. Quentin Canal.
The assault position was directly along the inter-army boundary between the British First Army and Third Army. Both armies were tasked with continuing the advance started with the Battle of the Drocourt-Quéant Line, Battle of Havrincourt
and Battle of Epehy
. The British First Army was operating in a framework whereby its main task was to lead the crossing of the Canal du Nord and secure the northern flank of the British Third Army as both advanced towards Cambrai
. The British Third Army was additionally tasked with securing the Escaut (Scheldt) Canal so as to be in a position to support the British Fourth Army during the Battle of St. Quentin Canal.
. In an effort to gain direct observation of all bridges over the Sensée River
and the Canal du Nord
the British attack was supposed to continue the following day. However, the German preempted the British attack by withdrawing along a wide front.
The German High Command had ordered the German Seventeenth Army
to retreat behind the Sensée River and the Canal du Nord on the night of 2 September and the German Second Army to withdraw to the Hindenburg Line
the following night. Further to the south, the German Eighteenth and Ninth Armies were to follow in succession, resulting in the abandonment of the entire salient gained during the Spring Offensive
by 9 September. In the north the German Fourth and Sixth Armies retreated between Lens
and Ypres
, abandoning without a fight the Lys salient and the gains made during the Battle of the Lys.
British air patrols on the morning of 3 September reported seeing no Germans between the Dury Ridge and the Canal du Nord. Likewise, the British Third Army was able to occupy the towns of Quéant
and Pronville
without any fighting and observed the Germans widely falling back. As the British troops advanced to meet the new German front line they reported the east bank of the Canal du Nord strongly held and all bridges crossing the canal destroyed. The only exception was at Palluel
where the Germans maintained a bridgehead on the western side of the canal.
The construction of the Canal du Nord began in 1913 and was intended link the Oise River
to the Dunkirk-Scheldt Canal. However, with the outbreak of the First World War construction was halted and the work was left in varying stages of completion. During their retreat, the Germans made the area along the canal north of Sains-lès-Marquion
virtually impassable by taking advantage of the naturally swampy ground and deliberately damming and flooding the entire area. The only passable ground was to the south where a small 4000 yards (3,657.6 m) section of the canal between Sains-lès-Marquion
and Mœuvres
remained largely dry on account of its incomplete state Even in a partially excavated state the dry section the canal was still a significant obstacle. The canal was approximately 40 yards (36.6 m) wide, with a western bank that was between 10 and 15 ft (3 and 4.6 m) high and an eastern bank that was approximately 5 feet (1.5 m) high As a result, British First Army commander General Henry Horne
was forced to cease major offensive operations until an operation could be executed to secure a route across the canal.
.jpg)
On 3 September Supreme Commander of the Allied Armies Généralissime
Ferdinand Foch
outlined the future course of the Allied offensive campaign along the Western Front
. To avoid the risk of having extensive German reserves massed against a single Allied attack, Foch devised a plan for a general offensive between Verdun
and the Belgian coast. The plan called for Allied attacks at four separate points in the German line, to be launched on four successive days. Army Group Flanders under King
Albert I of Belgium
would conduct the most northern operation and attack German positions in Flanders
and move towards Ghent
and Bruges
. The British First and Third Armies would attack and cross the Canal du Nord, move across the northern extension of the Hindenburg Line and capture the city of Cambrai
, a crucial German communications and supply center. The British Fourth Army and French First Army would attack the Germans along the Saint-Quentin Canal in an effort to breach the Hindenburg Line between Holnon
and Vendhuile
. To the south, the First United States Army and French Fourth Army
would mount the Meuse-Argonne Offensive
between Reims
and Verdun
, moving along the Meuse River
and through the Argonne Forest.
The Canal du Nord defensive system was the German's last major prepared defensive position opposite the British First Army. It was nevertheless a significant obstacle as the Germans had taken measures to incorporate the unfinished canal into their defensive system. Beyond the damage done to make crossing the canal as difficult as possible, north of Mœuvres
a lesser arm of the Hindenburg Support Line, the Canal du Nord Line, ran directly behind the east side of the canal. The greater arm of the Hindenburg Support Line crossed the canal at Mœuvres and thus remained well established on the eastern side of the canal south of Mœuvres. This was supplemented by the Marquion-Cantaing Line which ran along a north-south axis one mile east of the canal and the Marcoing Line located just west of Cambrai. The attack on the Canal du Nord was to begin on 27 September 1918, a day after the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, one day before the offensive in Flanders and two days before the Battle of St. Quentin Canal.
The British First Army was operating in a framework whereby its main task was to secure the northern flank of the British Third Army. The British Third Army was tasked with securing the Escaut (Scheldt) Canal so as to be in a position to support the British Fourth Army during the Battle of St. Quentin Canal. On the British First Army front, the Canadian Corps
would lead the attack, crossing the largely dry canal on a front of only 2700 yards (2,468.9 m) between Sains-lès-Marquion
and Mœuvres. Once over the canal the corps was to capture the Marquoin Line, the villages of Marquion
and Bourlon
, Bourlon Woods lastly secure a general line running from Fontaine-Notre-Dame
to Sauchy-Lestrée
. In an attempt to make the Germans second guess or question the location of the main assault, XXII Corps was instructed to engage German positions along the Canal du Nord between Sauchy-Lestrée and Palluel
. Likewise, VII Corps and the remainder of XXII Corps were instructed to carry out minor attacks north of the Scarpe River to prevent the Germans from moving units from that area to the location of the main attack. If the Canadian Corps was successful in its advance the intention was to immediately and quickly exploit the territorial gain with the support of the British Third Army's XVII, VI and IV Corps.
forces, were awarded for actions during the battle;
, located southeast of the town of Bourlon
.
Allies of World War I
The Entente Powers were the countries at war with the Central Powers during World War I. The members of the Triple Entente were the United Kingdom, France, and the Russian Empire; Italy entered the war on their side in 1915...
offensive against German
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
positions on the Western Front during the Hundred Days Offensive
Hundred Days Offensive
The Hundred Days Offensive was the final period of the First World War, during which the Allies launched a series of offensives against the Central Powers on the Western Front from 8 August to 11 November 1918, beginning with the Battle of Amiens. The offensive forced the German armies to retreat...
of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. The battle took place in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, along an incomplete portion of the Canal du Nord
Canal du Nord
The Canal du Nord is a long canal in northern France. The canal connects the Canal latéral à l'Oise at Pont-l'Évêque to the Sensée Canal at Arleux. The French government, in partnership with coal-mining companies in the Nord and Pas-de-Calais departments, developed the canal to help French coal...
and on the outskirts of Cambrai
Cambrai
Cambrai is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Cambrai is the seat of an archdiocese whose jurisdiction was immense during the Middle Ages. The territory of the Bishopric of Cambrai, roughly coinciding with the shire of Brabant, included...
between 27 September and 1 October 1918. To avoid the risk of having extensive German reserves massed against a single Allied attack, the assault along the Canal du Nord was undertaken as part of a number of closely sequenced Allied attacks at separate points along the Western Front. It began one day after the Meuse-Argonne Offensive
Meuse-Argonne Offensive
The Meuse-Argonne Offensive, or Maas-Argonne Offensive, also called the Battle of the Argonne Forest, was a part of the final Allied offensive of World War I that stretched along the entire western front.-Overview:...
, one day before an offensive in the Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
region of Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and two days before the Battle of St. Quentin Canal.
The assault position was directly along the inter-army boundary between the British First Army and Third Army. Both armies were tasked with continuing the advance started with the Battle of the Drocourt-Quéant Line, Battle of Havrincourt
Battle of Havrincourt
- Notes :# - a mistake on the part either of Byng or of Repington, as it was actually the 62nd Division....
and Battle of Epehy
Battle of Epéhy
The Battle of Épehy was a World War I battle fought on 18 September 1918, involving the British Fourth Army against German outpost positions in front of the Hindenburg Line.- Prelude :...
. The British First Army was operating in a framework whereby its main task was to lead the crossing of the Canal du Nord and secure the northern flank of the British Third Army as both advanced towards Cambrai
Cambrai
Cambrai is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Cambrai is the seat of an archdiocese whose jurisdiction was immense during the Middle Ages. The territory of the Bishopric of Cambrai, roughly coinciding with the shire of Brabant, included...
. The British Third Army was additionally tasked with securing the Escaut (Scheldt) Canal so as to be in a position to support the British Fourth Army during the Battle of St. Quentin Canal.
Background
The British assault on the Drocourt-Quéant Line on 2 September 1918 resulted in the Germans being overrun along a 7000 yards (6,400.8 m) front. A number of formations in the German forward line quickly yielded to the British advance, but as the British advanced they met more resolute opposition from regiments of the German 1st Guards Reserve Division, 2nd Guards Reserve Division and the 3rd Reserve Division3rd Reserve Division (German Empire)
The 3rd Reserve Division was a reserve infantry division of the Imperial German Army in World War I. It was formed on mobilization in August 1914 from reserve infantry units primarily from Pomerania. The division served from the beginning of the war until early 1917 on the Eastern Front, after...
. In an effort to gain direct observation of all bridges over the Sensée River
Sensée
The Sensée is a river in northern France that crosses the departement of Pas-de-Calais. The source is found at Croisilles and passes through Lécluse. It joins the Canal du Nord at Arleux, which then joins the canalized Escaut at Bouchain...
and the Canal du Nord
Canal du Nord
The Canal du Nord is a long canal in northern France. The canal connects the Canal latéral à l'Oise at Pont-l'Évêque to the Sensée Canal at Arleux. The French government, in partnership with coal-mining companies in the Nord and Pas-de-Calais departments, developed the canal to help French coal...
the British attack was supposed to continue the following day. However, the German preempted the British attack by withdrawing along a wide front.
The German High Command had ordered the German Seventeenth Army
17th Army (Germany)
The German Seventeenth Army was a World War II field army.-Commanding officers:* General der Infanterie Carl-Heinrich von Stülpnagel * Generaloberst Hermann Hoth...
to retreat behind the Sensée River and the Canal du Nord on the night of 2 September and the German Second Army to withdraw to the Hindenburg Line
Hindenburg Line
The Hindenburg Line was a vast system of defences in northeastern France during World War I. It was constructed by the Germans during the winter of 1916–17. The line stretched from Lens to beyond Verdun...
the following night. Further to the south, the German Eighteenth and Ninth Armies were to follow in succession, resulting in the abandonment of the entire salient gained during the Spring Offensive
Spring Offensive
The 1918 Spring Offensive or Kaiserschlacht , also known as the Ludendorff Offensive, was a series of German attacks along the Western Front during World War I, beginning on 21 March 1918, which marked the deepest advances by either side since 1914...
by 9 September. In the north the German Fourth and Sixth Armies retreated between Lens
Lens, Pas-de-Calais
Lens is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. It is one of France's large Picarde cities along with Lille, Valenciennes, Amiens, Roubaix, Tourcoing, Arras, and Douai.-Metropolitan area:...
and Ypres
Ypres
Ypres is a Belgian municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Ypres and the villages of Boezinge, Brielen, Dikkebus, Elverdinge, Hollebeke, Sint-Jan, Vlamertinge, Voormezele, Zillebeke, and Zuidschote...
, abandoning without a fight the Lys salient and the gains made during the Battle of the Lys.
British air patrols on the morning of 3 September reported seeing no Germans between the Dury Ridge and the Canal du Nord. Likewise, the British Third Army was able to occupy the towns of Quéant
Quéant
Quéant is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:Quéant is situated southeast of Arras, at the junction of the D14 and D22 roads...
and Pronville
Pronville
Pronville is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Population:-Places of interest:* The church of St.Géry, rebuilt, as was much of the village, after the First World War.-References:* -External links:...
without any fighting and observed the Germans widely falling back. As the British troops advanced to meet the new German front line they reported the east bank of the Canal du Nord strongly held and all bridges crossing the canal destroyed. The only exception was at Palluel
Palluel
Palluel is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:Palluel is situated east of Arras, at the junction of the D21 and D13 roads, in the valley of the river Sensée.-History:...
where the Germans maintained a bridgehead on the western side of the canal.
The construction of the Canal du Nord began in 1913 and was intended link the Oise River
Oise River
The River Oise is a right tributary of the River Seine, flowing for 302 km in Belgium and France. Its source is in the Belgian province Hainaut, south of the town Chimay. It crosses the border with France after about 20 km. It flows into the Seine in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, near Paris...
to the Dunkirk-Scheldt Canal. However, with the outbreak of the First World War construction was halted and the work was left in varying stages of completion. During their retreat, the Germans made the area along the canal north of Sains-lès-Marquion
Sains-lès-Marquion
Sains-lès-Marquion is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:Sains-lès-Marquion lies about southeast of Arras, at the junction of the D15 and D16 roads.-Population:-Places of interest:...
virtually impassable by taking advantage of the naturally swampy ground and deliberately damming and flooding the entire area. The only passable ground was to the south where a small 4000 yards (3,657.6 m) section of the canal between Sains-lès-Marquion
Sains-lès-Marquion
Sains-lès-Marquion is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:Sains-lès-Marquion lies about southeast of Arras, at the junction of the D15 and D16 roads.-Population:-Places of interest:...
and Mœuvres
Mœuvres
-References:*...
remained largely dry on account of its incomplete state Even in a partially excavated state the dry section the canal was still a significant obstacle. The canal was approximately 40 yards (36.6 m) wide, with a western bank that was between 10 and 15 ft (3 and 4.6 m) high and an eastern bank that was approximately 5 feet (1.5 m) high As a result, British First Army commander General Henry Horne
Henry Horne, 1st Baron Horne
General Henry Sinclair Horne, 1st Baron Horne GCB, KCMG was a military officer in the British Army, most notable for his generalship during World War I. He was the only British artillery officer to command an army in the war. Until recently Horne was the unknown General of the Great War and did...
was forced to cease major offensive operations until an operation could be executed to secure a route across the canal.
Tactical plan and preparations
Generalissimo
Generalissimo and Generalissimus are military ranks of the highest degree, superior to Field Marshal and other five-star ranks.-Usage:...
Ferdinand Foch
Ferdinand Foch
Ferdinand Foch , GCB, OM, DSO was a French soldier, war hero, military theorist, and writer credited with possessing "the most original and subtle mind in the French army" in the early 20th century. He served as general in the French army during World War I and was made Marshal of France in its...
outlined the future course of the Allied offensive campaign along the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
. To avoid the risk of having extensive German reserves massed against a single Allied attack, Foch devised a plan for a general offensive between Verdun
Verdun
Verdun is a city in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Verdun is the biggest city in Meuse, although the capital of the department is the slightly smaller city of Bar-le-Duc.- History :...
and the Belgian coast. The plan called for Allied attacks at four separate points in the German line, to be launched on four successive days. Army Group Flanders under King
Monarchy of Belgium
Monarchy in Belgium is constitutional and popular in nature. The hereditary monarch, at present Albert II, is the head of state and is officially called King of the Belgians .-Origins:...
Albert I of Belgium
Albert I of Belgium
Albert I reigned as King of the Belgians from 1909 until 1934.-Early life:Born Albert Léopold Clément Marie Meinrad in Brussels, he was the fifth child and second son of Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders, and his wife, Princess Marie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen...
would conduct the most northern operation and attack German positions in Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
and move towards Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
and Bruges
Bruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
. The British First and Third Armies would attack and cross the Canal du Nord, move across the northern extension of the Hindenburg Line and capture the city of Cambrai
Cambrai
Cambrai is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Cambrai is the seat of an archdiocese whose jurisdiction was immense during the Middle Ages. The territory of the Bishopric of Cambrai, roughly coinciding with the shire of Brabant, included...
, a crucial German communications and supply center. The British Fourth Army and French First Army would attack the Germans along the Saint-Quentin Canal in an effort to breach the Hindenburg Line between Holnon
Holnon
Holnon is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-Population:...
and Vendhuile
Vendhuile
Vendhuile is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France....
. To the south, the First United States Army and French Fourth Army
Fourth Army (France)
The Fourth Army was a Field army of the French Army, which fought during World War I and World War II.-World War I:*General Fernand de Langle de Cary *General Henri Gouraud...
would mount the Meuse-Argonne Offensive
Meuse-Argonne Offensive
The Meuse-Argonne Offensive, or Maas-Argonne Offensive, also called the Battle of the Argonne Forest, was a part of the final Allied offensive of World War I that stretched along the entire western front.-Overview:...
between Reims
Reims
Reims , a city in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France, lies east-northeast of Paris. Founded by the Gauls, it became a major city during the period of the Roman Empire....
and Verdun
Verdun
Verdun is a city in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Verdun is the biggest city in Meuse, although the capital of the department is the slightly smaller city of Bar-le-Duc.- History :...
, moving along the Meuse River
Meuse River
The Maas or Meuse is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea...
and through the Argonne Forest.
The Canal du Nord defensive system was the German's last major prepared defensive position opposite the British First Army. It was nevertheless a significant obstacle as the Germans had taken measures to incorporate the unfinished canal into their defensive system. Beyond the damage done to make crossing the canal as difficult as possible, north of Mœuvres
Mœuvres
-References:*...
a lesser arm of the Hindenburg Support Line, the Canal du Nord Line, ran directly behind the east side of the canal. The greater arm of the Hindenburg Support Line crossed the canal at Mœuvres and thus remained well established on the eastern side of the canal south of Mœuvres. This was supplemented by the Marquion-Cantaing Line which ran along a north-south axis one mile east of the canal and the Marcoing Line located just west of Cambrai. The attack on the Canal du Nord was to begin on 27 September 1918, a day after the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, one day before the offensive in Flanders and two days before the Battle of St. Quentin Canal.
The British First Army was operating in a framework whereby its main task was to secure the northern flank of the British Third Army. The British Third Army was tasked with securing the Escaut (Scheldt) Canal so as to be in a position to support the British Fourth Army during the Battle of St. Quentin Canal. On the British First Army front, the Canadian Corps
Canadian Corps
The Canadian Corps was a World War I corps formed from the Canadian Expeditionary Force in September 1915 after the arrival of the 2nd Canadian Division in France. The corps was expanded by the addition of the 3rd Canadian Division in December 1915 and the 4th Canadian Division in August 1916...
would lead the attack, crossing the largely dry canal on a front of only 2700 yards (2,468.9 m) between Sains-lès-Marquion
Sains-lès-Marquion
Sains-lès-Marquion is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:Sains-lès-Marquion lies about southeast of Arras, at the junction of the D15 and D16 roads.-Population:-Places of interest:...
and Mœuvres. Once over the canal the corps was to capture the Marquoin Line, the villages of Marquion
Marquion
Marquion is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:Marquion is a farming and light industrial village situated southwest of Arras, at the junction of the D939 and the D15 roads. Junction 8 of the A26 autoroute is just a mile...
and Bourlon
Bourlon
Bourlon is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:A farming village located 22 miles southeast of Arras on the D16 road, just yards from the A26 autoroute.-Population:...
, Bourlon Woods lastly secure a general line running from Fontaine-Notre-Dame
Fontaine-Notre-Dame, Nord
-References:*...
to Sauchy-Lestrée
Sauchy-Lestrée
Sauchy-Lestrée is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:Sauchy-Lestrée lies southeast of Arras, at the junction of the D21E and D15 roads.-Population:-Places of interest:...
. In an attempt to make the Germans second guess or question the location of the main assault, XXII Corps was instructed to engage German positions along the Canal du Nord between Sauchy-Lestrée and Palluel
Palluel
Palluel is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:Palluel is situated east of Arras, at the junction of the D21 and D13 roads, in the valley of the river Sensée.-History:...
. Likewise, VII Corps and the remainder of XXII Corps were instructed to carry out minor attacks north of the Scarpe River to prevent the Germans from moving units from that area to the location of the main attack. If the Canadian Corps was successful in its advance the intention was to immediately and quickly exploit the territorial gain with the support of the British Third Army's XVII, VI and IV Corps.
Battle
Over the next week, Currie and Byng prepared for the engagement. Two divisions were sent south, to cross the canal at a weaker point, while Canadian combat engineers worked to construct the wooden bridges for the assault. At 5:20 on the morning of September 27, all four divisions attacked under total darkness, taking the German defenders of the 1st Prussian Guards Reserve Division and the 3rd German Naval Division by absolute surprise. By mid morning, all defenders had retreated or been captured. Stiffening resistance east of the canal proved that only a surprise attack had the possibility of ending in victory. Because of Canal du Nord's capture, the final road to Cambrai was open.Aftermath
Twelve Victoria Crosses, the highest military decoration for valour awarded to British and CommonwealthCommonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces, were awarded for actions during the battle;
- Acting Lieutenant-Colonel John Vereker, 6th Viscount GortJohn Vereker, 6th Viscount GortField Marshal John Standish Surtees Prendergast Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort, VC, GCB, CBE, DSO & Two Bars, MVO, MC , was a British and Anglo-Irish soldier. As a young officer in World War I he won the Victoria Cross at the Battle of the Canal du Nord. During the 1930s he served as Chief of the...
of the 1st Battalion, Grenadier GuardsGrenadier GuardsThe Grenadier Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. It is not, however, the most senior regiment of the Army, this position being attributed to the Life Guards...
. - Captain John MacGregorJohn MacGregor (VC)John MacGregor VC MC & Bar DCM ED was a Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
, 2nd Battalion, Canadian Mounted Rifles. - Captain Cyril Hubert FrisbyCyril Hubert FrisbyCaptain Cyril Hubert Frisby VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
, 1st Battalion, Coldstream GuardsColdstream GuardsHer Majesty's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, also known officially as the Coldstream Guards , is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division or Household Division....
. - Lieutenant Graham Thomson LyallGraham Thomson LyallGraham Thomson Lyall VC was a Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.- Details :...
, 102nd (North British Columbia) Battalion, CEFCanadian Expeditionary ForceThe Canadian Expeditionary Force was the designation of the field force created by Canada for service overseas in the First World War. Units of the C.E.F. were divided into field formation in France, where they were organized first into separate divisions and later joined together into a single...
. - Lieutenant Samuel Lewis HoneySamuel Lewis HoneySamuel Lewis Honey, VC, DCM, MM was a soldier in the Canadian Expeditionary Force, and posthumous recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest military award for gallantry in the face of the enemy given to British and Commonwealth forces, during the First World War.-Biography:Samuel Lewis Honey...
, 78th (Winnipeg) Battalion, CEF. - Lieutenant George Fraser KerrGeorge Fraser KerrGeorge Fraser Kerr VC, MC & Bar, MM, was a Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest military award given to British and Commonwealth forces for gallantry in the face of the enemy....
, 3rd (Toronto) Battalion, CEF. - Lieutenant Milton Fowler GreggMilton Fowler GreggMilton Fowler Gregg, VC, PC, OC, CBE, MC, ED, CD was a Canadian officer, and recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest Commonwealth award for gallantry "in the face of the enemy", during the First World War...
, Royal Canadian Regiment. - Sergeant William MerrifieldWilliam MerrifieldWilliam Merrifield VC, MM was a Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
, 4th (Central Ontario) Battalion, CEF. - Sergeant Frederick Charles RiggsFrederick Charles RiggsFrederick Charles Riggs VC MM was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
, 6th Battalion, York and Lancaster RegimentYork and Lancaster Regiment-History:It was formed in 1881 through the amalgamation of two other regiments:*65th Regiment*84th RegimentThe title of the regiment was derived not from the cities of York and Lancaster, or from the counties...
. - Corporal Thomas NeelyThomas NeelyThomas Patrick Neely VC MM was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
, 8th Battalion, The King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster). - Lance-Corporal Thomas Norman JacksonThomas Norman JacksonThomas Norman Jackson VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
, 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards. - Private Henry TandeyHenry TandeyHenry Tandey VC, DCM, MM was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces...
, 5th Battalion, Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding).
Commemoration
The Canadian participation in the Battle of the Canal du Nord is commemorated at the Canadian Bourlon Wood MemorialBourlon Wood Memorial
The Bourlon Wood Memorial is a Canadian war memorial that commemorates the actions of the Canadian Corps during the final months of the First World War; a period also known as Canada's Hundred Days, part of the Hundred Days Offensive...
, located southeast of the town of Bourlon
Bourlon
Bourlon is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:A farming village located 22 miles southeast of Arras on the D16 road, just yards from the A26 autoroute.-Population:...
.