Drocourt-Quéant

Première Guerre mondiale

Date

2-3 septembre 1918

Paramètres géographiques

Moeuvres (exclu) — Noreuil (exclu) — Saint-Léger (exclu) — Monchy-le-Preux — Pelves; de là, la rivière Scarpe

Contexte

Honneur de bataille qui est officiellement appelé « Bataille de la ligne Drocourt-Quéant » et qui fait lui-même partie de la campagne nommée « Les deuxièmes batailles d’Arras, 1918 ».^{Note de bas de page 1}

Description

À la fin d’août, le Corps canadien (lieutenant-général sir A.W. Currie) a avancé à l’est d’Arras, faisant face en chemin à une importante résistance. Le 28 août, il parvient à la ligne Drocourt-Quéant (D-Q), prolongement au nord de la principale position de défense allemande sur le front occidental, soit la ligne Hindenburg. La ligne D-Q, comme on l’appelle communément, est si redoutable que le commandant du Corps canadien, sir Arthur Currie, décide de décréter une pause opérationnelle afin de mieux préparer ses troupes pour cette entreprise. La 1re Division canadienne (major-général sir A.C. Macdonell) est déployée au nord de la route est-ouest Arras — Cambrai, et la 4e Division canadienne (major-général sir D. Watson), au sud de cette route. Chaque division sera appuyée dans le cadre des opérations par deux compagnies de chars Mark V. Ceux-ci seront nécessaires pour faire face aux nombreux abris en béton, aux postes de mitrailleuse et à leurs arcs de tir croisés ainsi qu’aux épais barbelés. À l’aube du lundi 2 septembre, l’attaque est déclenchée. Les combats sont si violents que les Canadiens mériteront jusqu’à sept Croix de Victoria en une même journée, un record canadien. À la tombée de la nuit, le mardi 3 septembre, la ligne D-Q est entièrement disloquée, et toutes les troupes allemandes se sont retirées au-delà du prochain obstacle, le canal du Nord.

Attribution :

Unités actuellement en service

• 1st Hussars
  Attributions : 1st Hussars (GO 71/30)
• 48th Highlanders of Canada
  Attributions : 15th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) et The 48th Regiment (Highlanders) (GO 110/29)
• 56e Régiment d’artillerie de campagne, ARC
  Attributions : 4th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) etThe Dufferin Rifles of Canada (GO 110/29)
• The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise's) 
  Attributions : 19th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) et The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise's) (GO 110/29)
• The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada
  Attributions : 13th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) et The Royal Highlanders of Canada (GO 110/29)
• The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own)
  Attributions : 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), et The Vancouver Regiment (GO 71/30)
• The Calgary Highlanders
  Attributions : 10th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 123/29) et The Calgary Highlanders (GO 110/29)
• The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa
  Attributions : 38th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 123/29) et The Ottawa Highlanders (GO 110/29)
• The Canadian Grenadier Guards
  Attributions : 87th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) et The Canadian Grenadier Guards (GO 110/29)
• The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's) 
  Attributions : 16th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) et The Canadian Scottish Regiment (GO 110/29)
• The Cape Breton Highlanders
  Attributions : 85th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) et The Cape Breton Highlanders (GO 110/29)
• Governor General's Foot Guards
  Attributions : 2nd Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 123/29) et The Governor General's Foot Guards (GO 32/32)
• Irish Regiment of Canada
  Attributions : 1st Battalion, Canadian Machine Gun Corps, CEF (GO 123/29) et the 1st Machine Gun Battalion, CMGC (GO 123/29)
• The King's Own Calgary Regiment (RCAC) 
  Attributions : 50th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) et The Calgary Regiment (GO 110/29)
• The Lake Superior Scottish Regiment
  Attributions : 52nd Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 123/29) et The Lake Superior Regiment (GO 110/29)
• The North Saskatchewan Regiment
  Attributions : 5th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29), the 16th Canadian Light Horse (GO 110/29), et The Saskatoon Light Infantry (GO 110/29)
• The Ontario Regiment (RCAC) 
  Attributions : 116th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) et The Ontario Regiment (GO 123/29)
• The Princess of Wales' Own Regiment
  Attributions : 21st Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 123/29) et The Princess of Wales' Own Regiment (GO 110/29)
• The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada
  Attributions : 43rd Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) et The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada (GO 110/29)
• The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada
  Attributions : 3rd Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 123/29) et The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada (GO 110/29)
• The Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment) (RCAC) 
  Attributions : 20th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) et The Queen's Rangers, 1st American Regiment (GO 110/29)
• The Royal Canadian Hussars (Montreal)
  Attributions : 1st Canadian Motor Machine Gun Brigade, CEF (GO 110/29) et the 1st Motor Machine Gun Brigade (GO 110/29)
• The Royal Canadian Regiment
  Attributions : 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), et the 2nd Machine Gun Battalion, CMGC (GO 123/29)
• The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment) 
  Attributions : 4th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) et The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (GO 110/29)
• The Royal Montreal Regiment
  Attributions : 14th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) et The Royal Montreal Regiment (GO 110/29)
• The Royal New Brunswick Regiment
  Attributions : The Carleton Light Infantry (GO 110/29)
• The Royal Regiment of Canada
  Attributions : 3rd Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 123/29), the 58th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29), The Royal Grenadiers (GO 110/29), et The Toronto Regiment (GO 110/29)
• The Royal Regina Rifles
  Attributions : 28th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) et The Regina Rifle Regiment (GO 110/29)
• The Royal Westminster Regiment
  Attributions : 47th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) et The Westminster Regiment (GO 110/29)
• The Royal Winnipeg Rifles
  Attributions : 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), et The Winnipeg Light Infantry (GO 110/29)
• The Saskatchewan Dragoons
  Attributions : 46th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) et The King's Own Rifles of Canada (GO 110/29)
• The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada
  Attributions : 72nd Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 5/31) et The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada (GO 5/31)
• The South Alberta Light Horse
  Attributions : 31st Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29), The South Alberta Regiment (GO 110/29), et the 19th Alberta Dragoons (GO 71/30)
• The Toronto Scottish Regiment (Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's Own)
  Attributions : 75th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) et The Toronto Scottish Regiment (GO 110/29)

Unités inscrites sur l’ordre de bataille supplémentaire

• 24th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA
  Attributions : 54th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) et The Kootenay Regiment (GO 110/29)
• 38th Field Battery, RCA 
  Attributions : 2nd Canadian Motor Machine Gun Brigade, CEF (GO 71/30) et the 2nd Motor Machine Gun Brigade, CMGC (GO 71/30)
• 50th Field Artillery Regiment (The Prince of Wales' Rangers), RCA
  Attributions : 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),et the 4th Machine Gun Battalion, CMGC (GO 123/29)
• The Winnipeg Grenadiers
  Attributions : 78th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) et The Winnipeg Grenadiers (GO 110/29)

Unités dissoutes

• The Manitoba Regiment
  Attributions : The Manitoba Regiment (GO 123/29).
• The North Alberta Regiment
  Attributions : 31st Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF (GO 110/29) et The North Alberta Regiment (GO 110/29)