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The Canadians at Cambrai

Raemaekers, Louis, 1919, Chromolithograph
The Canadians at Cambrai
The Canadians at Cambrai
The Canadians at Cambrai
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Category
Library Item
Item no
33491
Title
The Canadians at Cambrai
Description
"At Cambrai in October 1918 the Germans made their last great stand. It was vital to them that their line should not be crossed, and when the Canadians attacked, the Fighting was of the most desperate character. The Canadian Corps on 2nd October were fighting as many as eight German divisions, together with machine-gun detachments from the 7th German Cavalry and the 207th Division, they brought up the 12th Reserve Division, all of which fought with desperate courage. But it was useless, the Canadian flood swept over Cambrai. Once the town fell the Germans lost hope and their retreat was rapid - it was the beginning of that tide which swept backwards irresistibly until 11th November saw the end of the Great War. The state of the German troops was revealed by an order of the day dated 1st October, issued to the 187th Division:

'The moral and discipline of our men have plainly decreased, owing in the first place to the system of elastic defence, which leads the men to believe that ground is of no value; and secondly, to the lack of control and example among the officers. There is also a lack of personality among men shown by unnecessary retirements, the general conduct of men on leave, and riots such as those in Cambrai, where officers joined in the same crimes as the men, similar to those of which we accused the Russians."
Artist / maker
Date
1919
Size
33 x 24.8 cm
Location
Art and Design Library
Copyright
Louis Raemaekaers' drawings are reproduced by kind permission of the Louis Raemaekers Foundation.