L'opération britannique prévue le 4 Novembre 1918 à l'Est d'Ors est risquée : le franchissement du Canal de la Sambre à l'Oise impose le montage d'une passerelle flottante sous le feu des mitrailleuses allemandes situées sur l'autre rive. Malgré le rapport défavorable du Colonel Marshall établi suite à un repérage du terrain, l'assaut est maintenu. Le 4 Novembre, à 5h45, le 2ème bataillon du Manchester Regiment et le 16ème bataillon des Lancashire Fusiliers passent à l'offensive. Ces unités sont accompagnées d'hommes des Royal Engineers qui doivent assurer l'assemblage sur le canal de sections de passerelle flottante préfabriquées. L'opération tourne court : directement exposés sur le chemin de halage, les hommes sont fauchés par le feu ennemi. Parmi eux : Wilfred Owen. Le point de résistance allemande de la ferme de la Motte ne tombe qu'avec l'intervention d'autres unités du Dorset Regiment et des Lancashire Fusiliers qui sont parvenues à franchir le canal au Sud d'Ors et plus au Nord, à Landrecies.
The operation planned for 4 November 1918 to the east of Ors had its risks. In order to cross the Sambre-Oise Canal, the British had to install a floating bridge under fire from the German machine-guns positioned on the opposite bank. Despite the misgivings of Colonel Marshall, who had surveyed the terrain prior to the attack, the operation was maintained. On 4 November, at 5:45 a.m, the 2nd battalion of the Manchester Regiment and the 16th battalion of the Lancashire Fusiliers went into action. Accompanying them were the men of the Royal Engineers whose task was to assemble, on the canal, the sections of the prefabricated floating bridge. The operation had barely started before it was over. Hopelessly exposed, and despite some successful but isolated crossings, many of the attackers fell to the ennemy's gun. Among them was Wilfred Owen. German resistance at la Motte Farm was finally overcome by the Dorset Regiment and the Lancashire Fusiliers who succeeded in crossing the canal to the south of Ors and also to the North, at Landrecies.