At the beginning of September 1916 the Canadian Corps of four divisions moved to the Somme and took over from the Australians around Pozières. On 15 September the 2nd and 3rd Canadian Divisions were on the extreme left for the assault on the German’s third line of defences and successfully captured Courcelette.
For the next two months, Canadian units fought almost continually between Courcelette and Grandcourt, capturing formidable German defensive positions such as Regina Trench. By 4 November the 4th Canadian Division had pushed 700 yards beyond Regina. The Canadians suffered 24,000 casualties on the Somme. Their principal memorial stands between Pozières and Courcelette, but the Canadian dead of the Somme with no known grave are commemorated by name on the Vimy Memorial, north of Arras.
