Foncquevillers
Encyclopedia
Foncquevillers is a commune
in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France
.
, at the junction of the D3, D6 and the D28 roads.
Foncquevillers was on the Allied front line during almost all of the period of hostilities between 1914 and 1918 and was almost destroyed as a result. The neighbouring village of Gommecourt
to the east, in German hands, was the subject of an assault starting from Foncquevillers on 1 July 1916 which formed the northernmost part of what is known in Britain as the Battle of the Somme.
British troops taking part in that attack came from the London and the North Midland Divisions, and many are buried in the Foncquevillers Military Cemetery. After the war Foncquevillers established a friendship with the English East Midlands
cities of Derby
and Nottingham
which continues today. The Hotel de Ville in Foncquevillers has a plaque dedicated to "Derby, notre marraine" - "to Derby, our Godmother".
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Geography
A farming village situated 12 miles (19.3 km) south of ArrasArras
Arras is the capital of the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. The historic centre of the Artois region, its local speech is characterized as a Picard dialect...
, at the junction of the D3, D6 and the D28 roads.
Population
World War I
Gommecourt, Pas-de-Calais
Gommecourt is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:A small farming village situated south of Arras, on the D6 road.-Population:-World War I:...
to the east, in German hands, was the subject of an assault starting from Foncquevillers on 1 July 1916 which formed the northernmost part of what is known in Britain as the Battle of the Somme.
British troops taking part in that attack came from the London and the North Midland Divisions, and many are buried in the Foncquevillers Military Cemetery. After the war Foncquevillers established a friendship with the English East Midlands
East Midlands
The East Midlands is one of the regions of England, consisting of most of the eastern half of the traditional region of the Midlands. It encompasses the combined area of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Northamptonshire and most of Lincolnshire...
cities of Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
and Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
which continues today. The Hotel de Ville in Foncquevillers has a plaque dedicated to "Derby, notre marraine" - "to Derby, our Godmother".
Places of interest
- The church of Notre-Dame, rebuilt after the First World War.
- The Commonwealth War Graves CommissionCommonwealth War Graves CommissionThe Commonwealth War Graves Commission is an intergovernmental organisation of six independent member states whose principal function is to mark, record and maintain the graves, and places of commemoration, of Commonwealth of Nations military service members who died in the two World Wars...
cemetery, which contains 648 Commonwealth burials of the First World War. There are two graves of Chinese Labour CorpsChinese Labour CorpsThe Chinese Labour Corps was a force of workers recruited by the British government in World War I to support the troops by performing support work and manual labor.-History:...
, one of a French civilian, four belong to German prisoners. The remainder are Allied servicemen's graves. - At the side of the church is a memorial to five Canadian airmen who died when a Halifax bomber crashed near here in June 1944. Parts of the aircraft have been preserved nearby.