Part 4/15:
A key element to the breakthrough was the decision to force a crossing directly over the canal—a bold move championed by General John Monash and executed by the North Midland 46th Division. The barrage destroyed the canal banks, allowing troops to cross and swiftly capture the main defensive positions. This maneuver resulted in the breach of over a dozen kilometers of the line, effectively shattering the German strategic defensive system in that sector. The British expanded this breakthrough, leaving only the Beaurevoir Line intact as the last barrier.