Hamel (Somme)

Hamel is a common French, located in the department of the Somme and the area Picardy.

Geography

The commune is located near the valley of the Somme, to approximately 25 km in the east of Amiens. It belongs to the historical country of the Santerre, agricultural plate not very wooded and of low altitude.

The villages is easily accessible since the highway A29, left 52 (Villers-Bretonneux).

History

The etymology of Hamel comes from hamlet, small agglomeration rural.

The place is quoted for the first time in 1184. It concerns then the powerful abbey of Corbie.

The borough was devastated on several occasions: in 1415 at the time of the passage of the English troops going to Azincourt at the end of the 15th century by the army of Charles Bold the, then by those of Louis XI then set fire to by the Spanish troops in 1636 at the time of the seat of Corbie.

The village was one of the places decisive of the First World War during which it was again mainly destroyed. Indeed, the battle of Hamel of the July 4th 1918, constitutes a prelude to the offensive of the August 8th 1918.

Administration

Places of visit and monuments

  • the Australian park commemorative or memorial of Hamel, in full field in the east of the village, was inaugurated the July 4th 1998, that is to say eighty years after the battle of Hamel. It commemorates the sacrifice of more than thousand Australiens soldiers during the First World War, and remains, with its neighbor the Australian Memorial of Villers-Bretonneux, one of the sites which symbolize the strong friendship between France and Australia. (http://hamelfriends.free.fr/)
  • the village counts on its territory several ponds of the valley of the Somme.

Personalities related to the commune

Photographs

See too

External bonds

  • Santerre 14-18 : The Great War in Santerre
  • Hamel on the site of the national geographical Institute
  • Hamel on the site of INSEE
  • Hamel on the site of Quid
  • Localization of Hamel on a chart of France and communes bordering
  • Plane on Hamel on Mapquest

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