1918What is the significance of the Dury Canadian Memorial in France?
The Dury Canadian Memorial, located just south of Dury in France, stands as a testament to the Canadian Corps’ critical role in breaching the formidable Drocourt-Quéant Line during the Second Battle of Arras in 1918. This strategically vital victory helped turn the tide on the Western Front, marking a decisive moment in the final Hundred Days Offensive of the First World War. Remarkably, on September 2, 1918, seven Canadians were awarded the Victoria Cross for their bravery during these intense assaults, a day that also saw nearly 6,000 Canadian casualties. Today, the memorial’s striking 15-tonne granite block not only honors these sacrifices but also anchors the site as one of just eight Great War Canadian monuments of permanent remembrance in France.
