Two world wars have conferred upon the region of Nord-Pas-de-Calais a wealth of heritage in the form of military cemeteries, war memorials and archaeological remains. This heritage is the silent and poignant reminder of the events which shaped these conflicts.

The purpose of the First World War Remembrance Trails in Northern France is to provide the public with an insight into some of the major events of world history and to pay tribute to the men and women from around the globe who made the ultimate sacrifice.

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The Great War in dates

7 september 1914

The fall of Maubeuge

General Fournier, commander of the fortified town of Maubeuge, surrenders to the German Army after a siege of more than 13 days.

1914

21 october 1914

Arras bell tower collapses

After 50 minutes of intense shelling Arras bell tower collapses.

1914

25 december 1914

Truce observed on parts of the Front

British and German soldiers observe a truce on several parts of the Front (Frelinghien, Houplines, Fromelles, Neuve-Chapelle, Richebourg) to celebrate Christmas and some even leave the trenches to exchange gifts.

1914

9 may 1915

The Moroccan Division makes progress on Vimy Ridge

On the first day of the French offensive against the German positions in the Artois Hills the Moroccan Division succeeds in taking hill 140 of Vimy Ridge but, for want of reinforcements, is forced to retreat.

1915

22 september 1915

Execution of Lille resistance leaders

Lille resistance leaders Eugène Jacquet, Georges Maertens, Ernest Deceuninck and Sylvère Verhulst are executed in front of the Citadel.

1915

25 september 1915

British deploy gas for the first time

British troops open the Battle of Loos with a gas attack, the first time they use the weapon.

1915

27 september 1915

John Kipling reported missing

John Kipling, son of famous writer Rudyard Kipling, is reported missing during the Battle of Loos.

1915

20 october 1915

Louise de Bettignies arrested

British Intelligence spy Alice Dubois, alias Louise de Bettignies, is arrested in Tournai one month after the arrest of her accomplice Léonie Vanhoutte.

1915

5 november 1915

Léon Trulin sentenced to death

Arrested on the Dutch-Belgian border, Léon Trulin is sentenced to death for spying and executed three days later in front of Lille Citadel.

1915

25 december 1915

New Lille theatre opens

New theatre opens in Lille (now known as L'Opéra) in the presence of Crown Prince Rupert of Bavaria.

1915

11 january 1916

Lille munitions depot explodes

Attack or accident? The German munitions depot situated in the ramparts of Lille explodes, causing enormous damage in the working-class district of Saint-Sauveur.

1916

23 april 1916

Lille town hall burns

Lille town hall on place Rihour (since rebuilt in another part of the city) burns to the ground although the cause of the fire is unclear. Fortunately the last remaining room (Salle du Conclave) of the 17th century palace survives.

1916

16 november 1916

Allies lay plans for attack in April 1917

Convinced that an attack on Chemin des Danes would allow him to break through German lines, General Nivelle persuades Marshal Haig of the British Army to launch a diversionary attack at Arras.

1916

2 february 1917

Portuguese soldiers arrive in France

The first troops of the Portuguese Expeditionary Force arrive in France and are placed under British command.

1917

25 march 1917

Bapaume town hall explodes

French politicians Albert Taillandier and Raoul Briquet die in the explosion of Bapaume town hall which was booby-trapped by the Germans as they retreated to the Hindenburg Line.

1917

9 april 1917

The Battle of Arras opens

British soldiers use old quarry tunnels to launch a surprise attack on the German lines before Arras.

1917

9 april 1917

Canadians launch assault on Vimy Ridge

While the British open the Battle of Arras, the Canadians launch an attack on the German positions on Vimy Ridge.

1917

3 may 1917

Australian forces attack again at Bullecourt

Despite the failure of an initial offensive on 10 April, the Australians launch a second attack on the Hindenburg Line at Bullecourt.

1917

7 may 1917

Flying ace Albert Ball crashes

Pursued by the squadron of Lothar von Richthofen, British flying ace Albert Ball crashes at Annoeullin.

1917

21 may 1917

Imperial War Graves Commission

The Imperial War Graves Commission is established by Royal Charter and is given the task of ensuring that every soldier killed in action is given a decent burial.

1917

9 september 1917

Mutiny in British army camp at Etaples

The arrest of a New Zealand soldier by military police triggers a mutiny in the British army camp at Etaples.

1917

20 november 1917

British tanks take on the Hindenburg Line

In an attempt to break through the Hindenburg Line at Cambrai, the British Army deploys 476 tanks to clear a path for its infantry.

1917

9 april 1918

Battle of the Lys

In the process of being relieved, the Portuguese soldiers in Flanders suffer a surprise attack by the Germans as they open the Battle of the Lys.

1918

15 april 1918

German troops take Bailleul

Brought to a halt in their advance along the Lys River, the Germans head towards Flanders and take Bailleul.

1918

28 april 1918

German fleet attacked at Zeebrugge

The Dover Patrol carries out a raid on the Port of Zeebrugge and the entrance to Bruges Canal in an attempt to blockade the German ship and submarines stationed there.

1918

8 october 1918

Liberation of Cambrai by the Canadians

The Canadians liberate a Cambrai in ashes, the Germans having set light to the town centre before their retreat.

1918

4 november 1918

Death of war poet Wilfred Owen

Lieutenant Wilfred Owen, considered to be one of the 20th century's greatest war poets, is killed as his company tries to cross La Sambre Canal.

1918

4 november 1918

Quesnoy liberated by the New Zealanders

New Zealand troops liberate the town of Quesnoy by climbing the rampart walls.

1918

5 april 1919

British General Headquarters leaves Montreuil

Marshal Haig thanks in person the people of Montreuil before leaving France for the final time.

1919

26 july 1936

Canadian National Vimy Memorial unveiled

King Edward VIII unveils the Canadian National Vimy Memorial to a crowd of 100,000 people.

1936

1914

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