Bullecourt

Bullecourt is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region in France.

Bullecourt
Commune
The church and Souvenir Français monument, in Bullecourt
Coat of arms
Location of Bullecourt
Bullecourt Show map of France Bullecourt Show map of Hauts-de-France
Coordinates: 50°11′35″N 2°55′43″E
Country	France
Region	Hauts-de-France
Department	Pas-de-Calais
Arrondissement	Arras
Canton	Bapaume
Intercommunality	CC Sud-Artois
Government
• Mayor (2001–2008)	Jules Laude
Area ^1	6.43 km^2 (2.48 sq mi)
Population  (2017-01-01)[1]	236
• Density	37/km^2 (95/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	62185 /62128
Elevation	74–104 m (243–341 ft) (avg. 92 m or 302 ft)
^1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km^2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Geography

Bullecourt lies on the Upper Cretaceous plain of Artois between Arras and Bapaume and east of the A1 motorway. This satellite photograph shows Bullecourt just north of centre. Quéant is the larger of the two villages near the eastern edge. The A1 and the high-speed (TGV) railway line run up the western edge. To the south of Bullecourt, a now closed local railway line snakes from east to west.

Population

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1793	490	—
1800	522	+6.5%
1806	522	+0.0%
1821	532	+1.9%
1831	583	+9.6%
1836	556	−4.6%
1841	601	+8.1%
1846	617	+2.7%
1851	593	−3.9%
1856	543	−8.4%
1861	503	−7.4%
1866	490	−2.6%
1872	527	+7.6%
1876	559	+6.1%
1881	547	−2.1%
1886	488	−10.8%
1891	512	+4.9%
1896	506	−1.2%
1901	458	−9.5%
1906	423	−7.6%
1911	396	−6.4%
1921	181	−54.3%
1926	273	+50.8%
1931	281	+2.9%
1936	288	+2.5%
1946	321	+11.5%
1954	330	+2.8%
1962	296	−10.3%
1968	264	−10.8%
1975	245	−7.2%
1982	248	+1.2%
1990	260	+4.8%
1999	251	−3.5%
2006	239	−4.8%
2009	243	+1.7%

Transportation

Bullecourt lies in the triangle made by the A1, A2 and A26 motorways and that made by the N17, N30 and D939 roads.

History

There were remains from the Gallo-Roman period and the village was mentioned under the name "Bullecortis", in 1096.

In 620, it was the birthplace of Saint Vindicien, a follower of Saint Eligius, known in French as Saint Eloi. Vindicien became successively, bishop of Arras and bishop of Cambrai. He is regarded as the founder of the abbey named after his mentor, Mont St Eloi, of which Bullecourt became a lordship.

War has twice completely destroyed the village: in 1543 during the Ninth Italian War (1542–1546) and in 1917, during the First World War.

The remains of Hindenburg Line at Bullecourt (as seen after the war, in 1920).

In early 1917, during the northern hemisphere spring, two battles at Bullecourt became significant to the military history of Australia in particular. The village lay at the southern end of a highly active front – and formed part of the Hindenburg Line. On April 11, in the First Battle of Bullecourt, two brigades of the Australian 4th Division attacked German positions in Bullecourt, supported by 12 tanks but without artillery support. Caught in heavy fire, the Australians were forced to retreat. The Australian 4th Brigade alone sustained losses of 2,258 killed, wounded or taken prisoner, out of approximately 3,000 infantry. Only 750 Germans soldiers were killed, while they captured 27 Australian officers and 1,137 other ranks. On May 3, 1917, in the Second Battle of Bullecourt, an attack on both flanks of the village was conducted by the Australian 2nd Division and British 62nd Division respectively. Bullecourt itself was recaptured, but the anticipated breakthrough on the Hindenburg line did not occur. In total, there were 14,000 Australian and British casualties. The Musée Jean et Denise Letaille (established in 2012) now commemorates this fighting.

Sights

While there were many bunkers and dugouts, from the period of the Hindenburg Line, there is also an underground shelter from the 17th century.

The church of St. Vlaast was rebuilt after 1918.

There is a museum of objects collected from the periods of the world wars.

Economy and village life

The economy is one of general farming with the raising of beef. The village has an agricultural cooperative.

The village festival is held on the first Sunday of June and there is a festival in honour of the Australians on the last Saturday in April.

See also

• Communes of the Pas-de-Calais department

References

• INSEE commune file

1. "Populations légales 2017". INSEE. Retrieved 6 January 2020.

External links

• Bullecourt: First World War
• An Australian view of the Bullecourt fighting
• memorials
• Interpretation of the Hindenburg Line photograph.
• "First Battle of Bullecourt". Australian Military Units. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 2007-01-19.