The First Battle of Cambrai commenced with a British assault on the town of Cambrai and its adjacent ridge, Bourlon Ridge. Bourlon Ridge served as a crucial supply point on the Hindenburg line, and the British anticipated that its capture would compromise the German defensive positions. Consequently, they opted to employ tanks for the first time on a large scale during the battle.

The battle commenced on November 20th at 6:00 AM with a customary artillery barrage. Two infantry divisions, supported by nine battalions of tanks (437 tanks), initiated the advance. Initially, the attack progressed successfully, and the British believed they were on the brink of a complete breakthrough. They successfully penetrated 5 miles into German lines. However, by the conclusion of the first day, 180 of the tanks that had commenced the battle were rendered inoperable, primarily due to mechanical malfunctions. Despite their advances, the British were unable to reach Bourlon Ridge. The Germans responded with reinforcements. The British refrained from immediately exploiting their breakthrough but ultimately achieved the crest of Bourlon Ridge on November 27th. However, they were unable to sustain their advance any further.

On November 30th, the Germans launched a counteroffensive. Initially, the Germans made a rapid advance, but the British swiftly established a robust defense. Despite their defensive efforts, the Germans made steady progress and compelled the British to withdraw from a significant portion of the territory they had captured during the offensive.

The British suffered 47,596 casualties during the battle, including 9,000 captured. Conversely, the German casualties amounted to 53,300, with 11,105 captured.