Gaël
Encyclopedia
Gaël is a commune
in the Ille-et-Vilaine
department of Brittany in north-western France
.
It lies southwest of Rennes
between Saint-Méen-le-Grand
and Mauron
. In the 18th century, a fair was held twice a year in August and October.
It is best known to English historians as being the ancestral seat of Ralph de Guader
the first earl of Norfolk
and Suffolk
in post-Conquest England circa 1070 A.D.
This is an ancient Breton parish to the west of Rennes
, whose boundaries formerly stretched to include the territories of Bran, Muel
, Saint-Onen, Crouais, Saint-Méen-le-Grand
, Concoret
and Loscouët-sur-Meu
. The parish of Gaël (Guadel) was a dependency of the Archbishopric of Saint-Malo. In the 6th and 7th centuries, Gaël was a major town in the kingdom of Domnonia
.
The name is alleged to derive from the word for a ford, river-crossing or river (see Guad- and Guadal-). In local myths there was a 6th century king Hoël (possible link to King Coel) known as the forest king or "Rex Arboretanus". It is a fact that the town is situated amidst the vast forests of Poutrecouët. A royal castle from this era was sited at Meu, not far from Gaël. This later became the seat of the De Montfort family. The emplacement was captured and dismantled by De Guesclin in 1372.
During World War II
, the German Luftwaffe
established an airfield near Gaël in 1941. The Allied Air Forces based in England
attacked the airfield on several occasions in 1943 and 1944 before it was seized by the United States Army
in June 1944. Known as Advanced Landing Ground
"A-31
", the 354th Fighter Group
based P-51 Mustang
fighters at the airfield from 13 August through 17 September 1944 before moving east to Orconte
in the Marne
département along with the advancing Allied armies.
After the war, the airfield was dismantled and the land returned to agricultural use.
, which flows southeastward through the commune.
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 Ille-et-Vilaine
Ille-et-Vilaine
Ille-et-Vilaine is a department of France, located in the region of Brittany in the northwest of the country.- History :Ille-et-Vilaine is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
department of Brittany in north-western 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...
.
It lies southwest of Rennes
Rennes
Rennes is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France. Rennes is the capital of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department.-History:...
between Saint-Méen-le-Grand
Saint-Méen-le-Grand
Saint-Méen-le-Grand is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department in Brittany in north-western France.It is located southwest of Rennes between Montauban-de-Bretagne and Gaël.At the 2006 Tour de France, Saint-Méen-le-Grand hosted the start of Stage 8....
and Mauron
Mauron
Mauron is a commune in the Morbihan department of Brittany in north-western France.-Demographics:The inhabitants of Mauron are known in French as Mauronnais.-Twin towns:Mauron is twinned with the town of Newmarket in Ireland.-References:* *...
. In the 18th century, a fair was held twice a year in August and October.
History
Its Breton name is Gwazel, formerly called Guadel(t) or Wadel.It is best known to English historians as being the ancestral seat of Ralph de Guader
Ralph de Guader
Ralph de Gael was the Earl of East Anglia and Lord of Gaël and Montfort...
the first earl of Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
and Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
in post-Conquest England circa 1070 A.D.
This is an ancient Breton parish to the west of Rennes
Rennes
Rennes is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France. Rennes is the capital of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department.-History:...
, whose boundaries formerly stretched to include the territories of Bran, Muel
Muel, Ille-et-Vilaine
Muel is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department of Brittany in north-western France.-Demographics:-References:* ;* -External links:*...
, Saint-Onen, Crouais, Saint-Méen-le-Grand
Saint-Méen-le-Grand
Saint-Méen-le-Grand is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department in Brittany in north-western France.It is located southwest of Rennes between Montauban-de-Bretagne and Gaël.At the 2006 Tour de France, Saint-Méen-le-Grand hosted the start of Stage 8....
, Concoret
Concoret
Concoret is a commune in the Morbihan department of Brittany in north-western France.-External links:* * -References:* *...
and Loscouët-sur-Meu
Loscouët-sur-Meu
Loscouët-sur-Meu is a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department in Bretagne in northwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants of Loscouët-sur-Meu are called loscoetais.-References:*...
. The parish of Gaël (Guadel) was a dependency of the Archbishopric of Saint-Malo. In the 6th and 7th centuries, Gaël was a major town in the kingdom of Domnonia
Domnonia
Domnonée is the modern French version of the Latin name Dumnonia , which denoted a kingdom in northern Brittany founded by migrants from Dumnonia in Great Britain...
.
The name is alleged to derive from the word for a ford, river-crossing or river (see Guad- and Guadal-). In local myths there was a 6th century king Hoël (possible link to King Coel) known as the forest king or "Rex Arboretanus". It is a fact that the town is situated amidst the vast forests of Poutrecouët. A royal castle from this era was sited at Meu, not far from Gaël. This later became the seat of the De Montfort family. The emplacement was captured and dismantled by De Guesclin in 1372.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the German Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
established an airfield near Gaël in 1941. The Allied Air Forces based in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
attacked the airfield on several occasions in 1943 and 1944 before it was seized by the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in June 1944. Known as Advanced Landing Ground
Advanced Landing Ground
Advanced Landing Ground was the term given to the temporary advance airfields constructed by the Allies during World War II in support of the invasion of Europe...
"A-31
Gael Airfield
Gael Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield, which is located near the commune of Gaël in the Brittany region of northern France.-History:The airfield was originally built by the German Luftwaffe during 1941...
", the 354th Fighter Group
354th Fighter Wing
The 354th Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force wing that is part of Pacific Air Forces . It is the host wing at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, and is assigned to the Eleventh Air Force .-Overview:...
based P-51 Mustang
P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
fighters at the airfield from 13 August through 17 September 1944 before moving east to Orconte
Orconte
Orconte is a commune in the Marne department in north-eastern France.-World War II:In September 1944, the United States Army Air Forces established a temporary airfield Advanced Landing Ground, known as "A-66" near Orconte. The Ninth Air Force 354th Fighter Group flew P-51 Mustangs and P-47...
in the Marne
Marne
Marne is a department in north-eastern France named after the river Marne which flows through the department. The prefecture of Marne is Châlons-en-Champagne...
département along with the advancing Allied armies.
After the war, the airfield was dismantled and the land returned to agricultural use.
Geography
The village lies on the left bank of the MeuMeu
The Meu is an long river in the Côtes-d'Armor and Ille-et-Vilaine départements, north western France. Its source is at Saint-Vran, west of the village. It flows generally southeast...
, which flows southeastward through the commune.
Population
Inhabitants of Gaël are called Gaëlites.| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1806 | 2,212 |
| 1846 | 2,295 |
| 1906 | 2,654 |
| 1954 | 2,038 |
| 1962 | 1,466 |
| 1968 | 1,673 |
| 1975 | 1,515 |
| 1982 | 1,484 |
| 1990 | 1,406 |
| 1999 | 1,351 |
| 2006 | 1,546 |