At 5:28 am the battle had officially commenced. It was snowing and there was sleet. Underground mines were exploded, gas shells fell onto German positions and transportation routes, artillery began to hit everywhere.

Over 11,000 guns (including British pieces) opened up on the ridge. The Canadians kept to their timetable and followed their detailed plans. By early afternoon, most of their objectives had been reached. Thousands of Germans were taken as prisoners and thousands more had been killed.

The end of the battle had met all of the objectives made by the Canadians. Canadians established themselves as an elite fighting force, the German line had been breached and the Canadians had kept away any thoughts of a German counter-attack.

The victory was a success, but there were many things that had not been though of before hand. Allied high command had not prepared for such a breakthrough and as a result of this there were no British battalions available to carry on with the breach of the German lines. Both the French and British offensives of that month failed.