Noreuil

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Coordinates: 50°10′17″N 2°56′07″E / 50.1713888889, 2.93527777778

Administration
Commune of Noreuil
Location

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
Elevation	72 m–110 m (avg. 80 m)
Land area^¹	4,79 km²
Population^² (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 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
² Population sans doubles comptes: residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) only counted once.

Noreuil is one of the communes of the Pas-de-Calais department within the arrondissement of Arras.

[edit] World War I

The grave of 6042 Private Charles Buckley, 27th Battalion, of Melbourne, Vic, killed in action 21 April 1917, in the Noreuil Australian Cemetery

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.