Hindenburg Line

A portion of the Hindenburg Line, a huge mass of barbed wire. Advance East of Arras. October, 1918
Credit: Canada. Department of National Defence/Library and Archives Canada (MIKAN no. 3522302)

First World War

Date

12 September – 9 October 1918

Geographical parameters

No geographical parameters defined.

Context

A group honour incorporating the “Battle of Havrincourt”, the “Battle of É pehy”, the “Battle of the Canal du Nord”, the “Battle of the St. Quentin Canal”, the “Battle of the Beaurevoir Line”, and the “Battle of Cambrai, 1918”, formally entitled “The Battles of the Hindenburg Line”, and itself being part of “The Breaking of the Hindenburg Line (26 August – 12 October 1918)”^{Footnote 1}

Description

The various battles included under the heading ‘ Hindenburg Line' began with a British offensive on 12 September 1918. The line was the most heavily defended German position on the Western Front and it would take most of the resources available to the British Army to carry it. Field Marshal Haig now convinced the Allied Supreme Commander, Marshal Foch, that all efforts on the Western Front be directed against the Line in concentrically directed, timed offenses starting on 26 September with the French and Americans attacking in the south. On 27 September the First and Third British Armies (which included the Canadian Corps (Lieutenant-General Sir A.W. Currie) would attack from the west. On 28 September the Flanders Group of Armies under King Albert I of Belgium (which included Second British Army in which the Royal Newfoundland Regiment was serving) would attack from the north. The follow-up assault would be made on 29 September by the British Fourth Army (with the 3rd (British) Cavalry Division which included the Canadian Cavalry Brigade (Brigadier-General R.W. Paterson) and French First Armies approaching from the south west.

The Canadian Corps' role involved an assault crossing of the Canal du Nord and an advance on the city of Cambrai which fell on 9 October 1918.

Awarded to:

Currently serving units

• 1st Hussars
  Award to the 1st Hussars (GO 71/30)
• 26th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA
  Award to The Manitoba Rangers (GO 71/30)
• 42nd Field Artillery Regiment (Lanark and Renfrew Scottish), RCA 
  Award to The Lanark and Renfrew Scottish Regiment (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).
• 49th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA 
  Award to The Sault Ste. Marie Regiment (GO 71/30)
• 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)
• 64th Field Battery, RCA 
  Award to The Yorkton Regiment (GO 71/30)
• 116th Independent Field Battery, RCA 
  Award to The Kenora Light Infantry (GO 71/30)
• The Algonquin Regiment 
  Awards to The Algonquin Regiment (GO 88/31) and the 228th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 5/31)
• The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise's) 
  Awards to the 19th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29), the 3rd Battalion, Canadian Machine Gun Corps, CEF (GO 123/29), The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise's) (GO 110/29), and the 3rd Machine Gun Battalion, CMGC (GO 123/29)
• The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada
  Awards to the 13th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29), the 42nd Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29), and The Royal Highlanders of Canada (GO 110/29)
• The British Columbia Dragoons
  Awards to the 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) and The British Columbia Dragoons (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), The Irish Fusiliers of Canada (GO 71/30), and The Vancouver Regiment (GO 71/30)
• The Brockville Rifles
  Award to The Brockville Rifles (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)
• The Essex and Kent Scottish
  Awards to the 18th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) and The Essex Scottish (GO 110/29)
• The Fort Garry Horse
  Awards to The Fort Garry Horse (GO 5/31) and The Manitoba Horse (GO 88/31)
• Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal 
  Award to Les Carabiniers Mont-Royal (GO 71/30)
• 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)
• The Governor General's Horse Guards
  Awards to the 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29), The Governor General's Body Guard (GO 112/35) and The Mississauga Horse (GO 110/29)
• The Grey and Simcoe Foresters
  Awards to The Grey Regiment (GO 71/30) and The Simcoe Foresters (GO 71/30)
• The Halifax Rifles (RCAC) 
  Award to The Halifax Rifles (GO 71/30)
• The Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment
  Awards to The Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment (GO 71/30) and The Northumberland Regiment (GO 71/30)
• Irish Regiment of Canada 
  Awards to the 1st Battalion, Canadian Machine Gun Corps, CEF (GO 123/29), the 1st Machine Gun Battalion, CMGC (GO 123/29), and The Irish Regiment (GO 71/30)
• 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 Lincoln and Welland Regiment
  Award to The Lincoln Regiment (GO 71/30)
• Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) 
  Award to Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) (GO 5/31)
• The Lorne Scots (Peel, Dufferin and Halton Regiment) 
  Awards to The Halton Rifles (GO 71/30) and The Peel and Dufferin Regiment (GO 71/30)
• The Loyal Edmonton Regiment (4th Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry)
  Awards to the 49th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) and The Edmonton Regiment (GO 110/29)
• The North Saskatchewan Regiment
  Awards to the 1st Canadian Mounted Rifles Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29), the 5th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29), the 16th Canadian Light Horse (GO 110/29), The Saskatchewan Mounted Rifles (GO 110/29), The Saskatoon Light Infantry (GO 110/29), and The Prince Albert Volunteers (GO 71/30)
• The North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment
  Award to The North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment (GO 71/30)
• The Nova Scotia Highlanders
  Awards to the 25th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 123/29), The Colchester and Hants Regiment (GO 110/29), and The Cumberland Highlanders (GO 71/30)
• The Ontario Regiment (RCAC) 
  Awards to the 116th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) and The Ontario Regiment (GO 123/29)
• The Prince Edward Island Regiment (RCAC) 
  Awards to The Prince Edward Island Light Horse (GO 71/30) and The Prince Edward Island Highlanders (GO 71/30)
• 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)
• Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
  Award to Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (GO 123/29)
• 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), The Queen's Rangers, 1st American Regiment (GO 110/29), and The York Rangers (GO 71/30)
• The Rocky Mountain Rangers
  Award to The Rocky Mountain Rangers (GO 71/30)
• Royal 22e Régiment
  Award to the Royal 22e Régiment (GO 110/29)
• The Royal Canadian Dragoons
  Award to The Royal Canadian Dragoons (GO 5/31)
• 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 Royal Canadian Regiment (GO 110/29), The Canadian Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) (GO 110/29), the 2nd Machine Gun Battalion, CMGC (GO 123/29), and The Oxford Rifles (GO 71/30)
• 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 Highland Fusiliers of Canada
  Award to The Highland Light Infantry of Canada (GO 71/30)
• 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
  Awards to the 26th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29), The Carleton Light Infantry (GO 110/29), The Saint John Fusiliers (GO 110/29), The York Regiment (GO 71/30), and The New Brunswick Rangers (GO 71/30)
• 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 Sherbrooke Hussars
  Awards to the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) and the 7th/11th Hussars (GO 10/39)
• The South Alberta Light Horse
  Awards to the 31st Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29), The South Alberta Regiment (GO 110/29), the 19th Alberta Dragoons (GO 71/30) and The Edmonton Fusiliers (GO 71/30)
• Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders
  Award to The Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders (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)
• The West Nova Scotia Regiment
  Awards to The Annapolis Regiment (GO 71/30) and The Lunenburg Regiment (GO 71/30)

Units on the Supplementary Order of Battle

• 11th Field Squadron, RCE 
  Award to The Lambton Regiment (GO 71/30)
• 12th Manitoba Dragoons
  Award to The Border Horse (GO 59/32)
• 14th Canadian Hussars
  Award to the 14th Canadian Light Horse (GO 5/31)
• 21st Field Artillery Regiment, RCA 
  Award to The Wellington Rifles (GO 71/30)
• 24th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA
  Awards to the 54th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) and The Kootenay Regiment (GO 110/29)
• 26th Field Battery, RCA 
  Awards to The Lambton Regiment (GO 71/30) and The Wellington Rifles (GO 71/30)
• 27th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA
  Award to The Eastern Townships Mounted Rifles (GO 110/29).
• 38th Field Battery, RCA 
  Awards to the 2nd Canadian Motor Machine Gun Brigade, CEF (GO 71/30), the Machine Gun Squadron, Canadian Cavalry Brigade, CEF (GO 5/31), the 1st Cavalry Machine Gun Squadron (GO 5/31), and the 2nd Motor Machine Gun Brigade, CMGC (GO 71/30)
• 48th Field Squadron, RCE 
  Award to The Lambton Regiment (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)
• 97th Field Battery, RCA 
  Award to The Bruce Regiment (GO 71/30)
• 98th (Huron) Field Battery, RCA 
  Award to The Bruce Regiment (GO 71/30).
• 99th Field Battery, RCA 
  Award to The Wellington Rifles (GO 71/30).
• 118th Medium Battery, RCA 
  Awards to the 1st Canadian Mounted Rifles Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) and The Manitoba Mounted Rifles (GO 5/31)
• 202nd Field Battery, RCA 
  Award to The Yorkton Regiment (GO 71/30)
• Victoria Rifles of Canada
  Awards to the 24th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) and The Victoria Rifles of Canada (GO 110/29)
• The Winnipeg Grenadiers 
  Awards to the 78th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) and The Winnipeg Grenadiers (GO 110/29)

Disbanded Units

• 1st Canadian Pioneer Battalion, CEF 
  Award to the 1st Canadian Pioneer Battalion, CEF (GO 88/31)
• 16th/17th (Reserve) Medium Battery, RCA 
  Award to The Kenora Light Infantry (GO 71/30)
• The Manitoba Regiment 
  Award to The Manitoba Regiment (GO 123/29)
• McGill University Contingent (148th Bn., C.E.F.), The Canadian Officers' Training Corps 
  Award to the McGill University Contingent (148th Bn., C.E.F.), The Canadian Officers' Training Corps (GO 136/32)
• The Middlesex and Huron Regiment 
• Awards to The Middlesex Light Infantry (GO 71/30) and The Huron Regiment (GO 71/30).
• The North Alberta Regiment 
  Awards to the 31st Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) and The North Alberta Regiment (GO 110/29)