Canadians entered Belgium. French and Belgian civilians who had been trapped in the enemy zone of occupation openly wept when Allied forces passed through their town.

On the southwest hinge of the Canadian line, Henry Burstall’s 2nd Division swept over the border. Burstall had picked the men of the 5th Brigade to act as a spearhead, instructing them to “act with the utmost boldness”. 

The possibility of breaking through German defences was ever-present in the closing weeks of the war. Speed was a necessity in this event. To cover this base, Burstall attached the 2nd Canadian Motor Machine Gun Brigade to the 5th Brigade. 

A slight delay at the flooded Honnelle river held up Canadian forces only temporarily. But the evening, the 25th Battalion (operating with the 2nd Division) had captured the village of Elouges. 

To the north, elements of the 3rd Division secured La Croix and Hensies, along with a number of smaller villages and communes.