Noreuil
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Commune of Noreuil | |
| Location | |
| Longitude | 02° 56' 07" Est |
| Latitude | 50° 10' 17" Nord |
| Administration | |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
| Region | Nord-Pas-de-Calais |
| Department | Pas-de-Calais |
| Arrondissement | Arras |
| Canton | Croisilles |
| Intercommunality | Communauté de communes du Sud Arrageois |
| Mayor | Jean-Paul Boussemard (2001-2008) |
| Statistics | |
| Altitude | 72 m–110 m (avg. 80 m) |
| Land area¹ | 4,79 km² |
| Population² (1999) |
114 |
| - Density () | 23/km² |
| Miscellaneous | |
| INSEE/Postal code | 62619/ 62128 |
| ¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 mi² or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
| ² Population sans doubles comptes: single count of residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel). | |
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Noreuil is one of the communes of the Pas-de-Calais department within the arrondissement of Arras.
[edit] World War I
In 1917 it was the location of fighting during World War I. In early 1917, General John Gellibrand, acting commander of the 2nd Division, advanced as he suspected that the Germans were withdrawing. Gellibrand's advance began well but ended with a disastrous, ill planned and ill executed "unauthorised" attack on Noreuil.
On the morning of 2 April 1917, the village was attacked by the 50th and 51st Battalions, with the 49th and 52nd in support. Danish born Australian Private Jørgen Christian Jensen of the 50th Battalion was awarded the Victoria Cross for the part he played.
On 15 April 1917 the Germans launched a major counter-attack against the Australians at Lagnicourt. Robert Smith, at his headquarters in a ruined house in Noreuil, about 1500 metres from Lagnicourt, directed the defeat of the German counter-attack. For his efforts in that engagement Smith was awarded a bar to his Distinguished Service Order (DSO).[1]
Noreuil is close to Bullecourt, the southern end of the battlefront for the Battle of Arras.
Noreuil Park in Albury, New South Wales, Australia, is named in dedication to the men of the 13th battery, 5th field artillery brigade.
[edit] References
- ^ Mallett, Ross (2001). Brigadier General Robert Smith. Australian Defence Force Academy. Retrieved on January 19, 2007.
- Attack on Noreuil. Australian Military Units. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved on January 19, 2007.
