Givenchy-lès-la-Bassée

Givenchy-lès-la-Bassée
Commune

The centre of Givenchy-lès-la-Bassée

Coat of arms
Givenchy-lès-la-Bassée

Coordinates: 50°31′46″N 2°45′31″E / 50.5294°N 2.7586°E / 50.5294; 2.7586Coordinates: 50°31′46″N 2°45′31″E / 50.5294°N 2.7586°E / 50.5294; 2.7586
Country France
Region Hauts-de-France
Department Pas-de-Calais
Arrondissement Béthune
Canton Douvrin
Intercommunality CA Béthune-Bruay, Artois-Lys Romane
Government
 • Mayor (2008–2014) Jacques Herbaut
Area1 3.89 km2 (1.50 sq mi)
Population (1999)2 813
 • Density 210/km2 (540/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
INSEE/Postal code 62373 /62149
Elevation 19–31 m (62–102 ft)
(avg. 27 m or 89 ft)

1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Givenchy-lès-la-Bassée is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France.

Geography

A farming village situated some 5 miles (8.0 km) east of Béthune and 19 miles (30.6 km) southwest of Lille, at the junction of the D166 and the D167 roads. The Canal d'Aire flows passed the commune, forming its southern border.

History

The village was first chronicled in the year 870 as "Juventiacum".

During the First World War, it was completely destroyed, as this was the only part of the entire front that withheld the force of the German offensive in the spring of 1918. The courageous stand of the 55th (West Lancashire) Infantry Division is commemorated by a memorial in the village. For much of the war, the village was an area of fierce underground warfare. In 1916, William Hackett was awarded the Victoria Cross for an action at Givenchy. The Tunnellers Memorial at Givenchy, unveiled on 19 June 2010, commemorates Hackett's action.[1]

During the Second World War, at the time of the withdrawal of British troops towards Dunkirk, the school, mayor's office and the memorial village hall were again destroyed. After the devastation of that war, the citizens of Liverpool donated reading books and money to the town of Givenchy-les-la-Bassee. The town hall of Givenchy has a plaque on the front wall thanking the City of Liverpool for its kindness and support for the town.

In 2008, a small group of students from Liverpool went to Givenchy on behalf of the City of Liverpool on the 90th anniversary of the First World War. Finally, the community of Givenchy still to this day has meetings with Liverpool's Lord Mayor and unity between the two places are still strong

Population

Historical population of Givenchy-lès-la-Bassée
Year196219681975198219901999
Population473521554748803813
From the year 1962 on: No double counting—residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) are counted only once.

Places of interest

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.tunnellersmemorial.com/memorial-details/


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