Explosion of German time bomb in Cambrai (Nord), October 1918. Official CAption: "An explosion taking place in a house in Cambrai. Advance East of Arras. October, 1918." The Second Battle of Cambrai (8 October - 10 October 1918) was a successful offensive by the British First, Third and Fourth Armies (including the Canadians) with the support of tanks. The advance crossed three German lines of defence which were lightly manned, took Cambrai within two days and suffered very light casualties.