However, the progress was stunted by corps' arrival at the Drocourt–Quéant Line. Otherwise known as the 'DQ Line', this bulwark was part of the Hindenburg Line fortifications which in late 1918, constituted the German Army's last significant organized defensive network in northern France. Built ascending up the forward slope of a hill called Mont Dury and composed of mutually-supporting machine gun and artillery emplacements with bunkers and trenches built of concrete as well as belts of barbed wire up to 100 metres thick, it was arguably the best-engineered series of defences the Canadians had faced at any point in the war. Following a two-day rest, regrouping, and planning period, the Canadian/British assault on the DQ line began on 2 September. The Battle of Drocourt-Quéant Line began with a concentrated artillery barrage, aircraft strafing the enemy and tanks leading the way, dragging hooks to pull back the barbed wire, clearing paths for the infantry of the 1st and 4th Divisions to storm forward. By the end of the day on the 2nd, the foremost echelons of attackers had fully advanced through the defences and overnight the German defenders largely abandoned their remaining positions. Over the following three days the Canadians advanced almost unharried 6 kilometres to the Canal du Nord, which the enemy had withdrawn behind. At the DQ Line the Canadians inflicted heavy casualties on the defenders and another 6,000 unwounded prisoners were captured at this time. Particularly noteworthy for such a brief battle was that seven Canadians earned a Victoria Cross on 2 September alone.