On 27th September, 1918, the day after the start of the Meuse-Argonne offensive began, Allied forces attacked the German frontline at the Canal du Nord. The marshlands on either side of the Arras-Cambrai road and the high German position, made it the most difficult sector of the Hindenburg Line to attack.

Canadian troops were chosen to spearhead the attack on the canal. Two Canadian divisions were sent across a narrow strip of dry land at dawn and then fanned out across a wider front. Support from the heavy artillery got the Canadians across the canal. British troops, led by General Sir Julian Byng, advanced along a 20km front further north. By the time the offensive was called off on 1st October, the Allies, including the American Expeditionary Force, had made an overall gain of 10km.