The Drocourt-Quéant Line was a set of mutually supporting defensive lines constructed by Germany between the French cities of Drocourt

Drocourt, Pas-de-Calais

Drocourt is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:An ex-coalmining commune, now a light industrial and farming town, situated some southeast of Lens, at the junction of the D919, D40 and D47 roads....

 and Quéant

Quéant

Quéant is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:Quéant is situated southeast of Arras, at the junction of the D14 and D22 roads...

 during World War I. This defensive system was part of the northernmost section of the Hindenburg Line

Hindenburg Line

The Hindenburg Line was a vast system of defences in northeastern France during World War I. It was constructed by the Germans during the winter of 1916–17. The line stretched from Lens to beyond Verdun...

, a vast German defensive system that ran through northeastern France.

Description

The Drocourt-Quéant Line ran between the French cities of Drocourt

Drocourt

Drocourt is the name of several communes in France:*Drocourt, Pas-de-Calais*Drocourt, Yvelines...

 and Quéant

Quéant

Quéant is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:Quéant is situated southeast of Arras, at the junction of the D14 and D22 roads...

 and was part of a defensive system that ran from a point within the Hindenburg Line, eleven miles west of Cambrai

Cambrai

Cambrai is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Cambrai is the seat of an archdiocese whose jurisdiction was immense during the Middle Ages. The territory of the Bishopric of Cambrai, roughly coinciding with the shire of Brabant, included...

, northward to within seven miles west of Douai

Douai

-Main sights:Douai's ornate Gothic style belfry was begun in 1380, on the site of an earlier tower. The 80 m high structure includes an impressive carillon, consisting of 62 bells spanning 5 octaves. The originals, some dating from 1391 were removed in 1917 during World War I by the occupying...

 and terminated along the front east of Armentières

Armentières

Armentières is a commune in the Nord department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region in northern France. It is part of the Urban Community of Lille Métropole, and lies on the Belgian border, northwest of the city of Lille, on the right bank of the river Lys....

. The Drocourt-Quéant Line was a system in depth and incorporated a number of mutually supporting lines of defence. The system consisted of a front line system and a support line system, each consisting of two lines of trenches. The system incorporated numerous fortifications including concrete bunker

Bunker

A military bunker is a hardened shelter, often buried partly or fully underground, designed to protect the inhabitants from falling bombs or other attacks...

s, machine gun posts and heavy belts of barbed wire

Barbed wire

Barbed wire, also known as barb wire , is a type of fencing wire constructed with sharp edges or points arranged at intervals along the strand. It is used to construct inexpensive fences and is used atop walls surrounding secured property...

.

Defeat

The D-Q line was overwhelmed in attacks by the Canadian Corps on the 2 and 3 September 1918, during the Hundred Days Offensive

Hundred Days Offensive

The Hundred Days Offensive was the final period of the First World War, during which the Allies launched a series of offensives against the Central Powers on the Western Front from 8 August to 11 November 1918, beginning with the Battle of Amiens. The offensive forced the German armies to retreat...

, also known as Canada's Hundred Days

Canada's Hundred Days

Canada’s Hundred Days was a series of attacks made along the Western Front by the Canadian Corps during the Hundred Days Offensive of World War I...

Memorials

The Canadian Dury Memorial

Dury Memorial

The Dury Memorial is a World War I Canadian war memorial that commemorates the actions of the Canadian Corps in the Second Battle of Arras, particularly the their breakthrough at the Drocourt-Quéant Line switch of the Hindenburg Line just south of the town of Dury. The Drocourt-Quéant Line was a...

 commemorates the Canadian Corps

Canadian Corps

The Canadian Corps was a World War I corps formed from the Canadian Expeditionary Force in September 1915 after the arrival of the 2nd Canadian Division in France. The corps was expanded by the addition of the 3rd Canadian Division in December 1915 and the 4th Canadian Division in August 1916...

' attack on the Drocourt-Quéant Line in 1918.