Drocourt-Quéant
First World War
Date
2-3 September 1918
Geographical parameters
Moeuvres (exclusive) – Noreuil (exclusive) – St. Léger (exclusive) – Monchy-le-Preux – Pelves: thence the river Scarpe
Context
A battle honour formally entitled “Battle of the Drocourt-Quéant Line” and itself being part of “The Second Battles of Arras, 1918”.Footnote 1
Description
At the end of August the Canadian Corps (Lieutenant-General Sir A.W. Currie) had been advancing east from Arras, encountering heavy resistance as they did so. On 28 August they came up to the Drocourt-Quéant Line, a northern extension of the principal German defensive position on the Western Front, the Hindenburg Line. So formidable was the D-Q Line, as it was popularly known, that the Canadian Corps commander, Sir Arthur Currie, decided on an operational pause to more fully prepare for this undertaking. The 1st Canadian Division (Major-General Sir A.C. Macdonell) was deployed north of the east-west Arras – Cambrai road, and the 4th Canadian Division (Major-General Sir D. Watson) deployed to the south of the road. Each division would be supported in its operations with two companies of Mark V tanks. These would be needed to deal with the many concrete shelters, machine gun posts with their inter-locking arcs of fire and thick masses of barbed wire. At dawn on Monday, 2 September, the attack went in. The fighting was so fierce that the Canadians were to win no fewer than 7 Victoria Crosses in one day, a Canadian record. By nightfall on Tuesday, 3 September, the D-Q Line had been completely broken and all German troops withdrawn across the next obstacle, the Canal du Nord.
![](/content/dam/dnd-mdn/images/military-history/bhhd/ancre-heights-a000825.jpg)
Large concrete iron reinforced machine gun post in the Quéant line. October, 1918
Credit: Canada. Department of National Defence/Library and Archives Canada (MIKAN no. 3522357)
![](/content/dam/dnd-mdn/images/military-history/bhhd/macdonell.jpg)
Major-General Sir Archibald Cameron Macdonell was the General Officer Commanding the 1st Canadian Division from June 1917 on. Location unknown. Date unknown.
Credit: Canada. Department of National Defence/Library and Archives Canada (MIKAN no. 3218799)
![](/content/dam/dnd-mdn/images/military-history/bhhd/drocourt-queant-3392.jpg)
Photograph of German barbed wire defences at Quéant part of the Hindenburg Line. Date 4 October 1918.
Credit This is photograph is from the collections of the Imperial War Museums (CO 3392)
![](/content/dam/dnd-mdn/images/military-history/bhhd/ancre-heights-major-general-currie.jpg)
General Currie, Commander of the Canadian troops in France, and A.D.C. Location unknown. June, 1917.
Credit: Canada. Department of National Defence/Library and Archives Canada/PA-001370 (MIKAN no. 3191901)
![](/content/dam/dnd-mdn/images/military-history/bhhd/ancre-heights-a002115.jpg)
Major-General Watson, the Officer Commanding the 4th Canadian Division. Location unknown. October, 1917.
Credit: Canada. Department of National Defence/Library and Archives Canada (MIKAN no. 3222150)
Awarded to:
Currently serving units
- 1st Hussars
Award to the 1st Hussars (GO 71/30) - 48th Highlanders of Canada
Awards to the 15th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) and The 48th Regiment (Highlanders) (GO 110/29) - 56th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA
Awards to the 4th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) and The Dufferin Rifles of Canada (GO 110/29) - The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise's)
Awards to the 19th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) and The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise's) (GO 110/29) - The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada
Awards to the 13th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) and The Royal Highlanders of Canada (GO 110/29) - The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own)
Awards to the 7th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 71/30), the 29th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 123/29), the 102nd Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29), the 1st British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own) (GO 110/29), The North British Columbia Regiment (GO 123/29), and The Vancouver Regiment (GO 71/30) - The Calgary Highlanders
Awards to the 10th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 123/29) and The Calgary Highlanders (GO 110/29) - The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa
Awards to the 38th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 123/29) and The Ottawa Highlanders (GO 110/29) - The Canadian Grenadier Guards
Awards to the 87th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) and The Canadian Grenadier Guards (GO 110/29) - The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's)
Awards to the 16th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) and The Canadian Scottish Regiment (GO 110/29) - The Cape Breton Highlanders
Awards to the 85th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) and The Cape Breton Highlanders (GO 110/29) - Governor General's Foot Guards
Awards to the 2nd Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 123/29) and The Governor General's Foot Guards (GO 32/32) - Irish Regiment of Canada
Awards to the 1st Battalion, Canadian Machine Gun Corps, CEF (GO 123/29) and the 1st Machine Gun Battalion, CMGC (GO 123/29) - The King's Own Calgary Regiment (RCAC)
Awards to the 50th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) and The Calgary Regiment (GO 110/29) - The Lake Superior Scottish Regiment
Awards to the 52nd Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 123/29) and The Lake Superior Regiment (GO 110/29) - The North Saskatchewan Regiment
Awards to the 5th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29), the 16th Canadian Light Horse (GO 110/29), and The Saskatoon Light Infantry (GO 110/29) - The Ontario Regiment (RCAC)
Awards to the 116th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) and The Ontario Regiment (GO 123/29) - The Princess of Wales' Own Regiment
Awards to the 21st Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 123/29) and The Princess of Wales' Own Regiment (GO 110/29) - The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada
Awards to the 43rd Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) and The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada (GO 110/29) - The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada
Awards to the 3rd Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 123/29) and The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada (GO 110/29) - The Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment) (RCAC)
Awards to the 20th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) and The Queen's Rangers, 1st American Regiment (GO 110/29) - The Royal Canadian Hussars (Montreal)
Awards to the 1st Canadian Motor Machine Gun Brigade, CEF (GO 110/29) and the 1st Motor Machine Gun Brigade (GO 110/29) - The Royal Canadian Regiment
Awards to the 1st Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29), the 2nd Battalion, Canadian Machine Gun Corps, CEF (GO 123/29), The Canadian Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) (GO 110/29), and the 2nd Machine Gun Battalion, CMGC (GO 123/29) - The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment)
Awards to the 4th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) and The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (GO 110/29) - The Royal Montreal Regiment
Awards to the 14th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) and The Royal Montreal Regiment (GO 110/29) - The Royal New Brunswick Regiment
Award to The Carleton Light Infantry (GO 110/29) - The Royal Regiment of Canada
Awards to the 3rd Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 123/29), the 58th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29), The Royal Grenadiers (GO 110/29), and The Toronto Regiment (GO 110/29) - The Royal Regina Rifles
Awards to the 28th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) and The Regina Rifle Regiment (GO 110/29) - The Royal Westminster Regiment
Awards to the 47th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) and The Westminster Regiment (GO 110/29) - The Royal Winnipeg Rifles
Awards to the 8th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29), the 10th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 123/29), the 27th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 123/29), the 44th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29), The Winnipeg Rifles (GO 110/29), and The Winnipeg Light Infantry (GO 110/29) - The Saskatchewan Dragoons
Awards to the 46th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) and The King's Own Rifles of Canada (GO 110/29) - The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada
Awards to the 72nd Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 5/31) and The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada (GO 5/31) - The South Alberta Light Horse
Awards to the 31st Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29), The South Alberta Regiment (GO 110/29), and the 19th Alberta Dragoons (GO 71/30) - The Toronto Scottish Regiment (Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's Own)
Awards to the 75th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) and The Toronto Scottish Regiment (GO 110/29)
Units on the Supplementary Order of Battle
- 24th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA
Awards to the 54th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) and The Kootenay Regiment (GO 110/29) - 38th Field Battery, RCA
Awards to the 2nd Canadian Motor Machine Gun Brigade, CEF (GO 71/30) and the 2nd Motor Machine Gun Brigade, CMGC (GO 71/30) - 50th Field Artillery Regiment (The Prince of Wales' Rangers), RCA
Awards to the 2nd Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 123/29), the 4th Battalion, Canadian Machine Gun Corps, CEF (GO 123/29), The Peterborough Rangers (GO 110/29), and the 4th Machine Gun Battalion, CMGC (GO 123/29) - The Winnipeg Grenadiers
Awards to the 78th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) and The Winnipeg Grenadiers (GO 110/29)
Disbanded Units
- The Manitoba Regiment
Award to The Manitoba Regiment (GO 123/29). - The North Alberta Regiment
Awards to the 31st Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) and The North Alberta Regiment (GO 110/29)
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