Guillemont

Guillemont
Guillemont
Location within Picardy region Guillemont
Coordinates:
Country	France
Region	Nord-Pas-de-Calais-Picardy
Department	Somme
Arrondissement	Péronne
Canton	Combles
Intercommunality	Canton of Combles
Government
• Mayor (2008–2014)	Didier Samain
Area1	3.27 km2 (1.26 sq mi)
Population (2006)2	124
• Density	38/km2 (98/sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	80401 / 80360
Elevation	94–156 m (308–512 ft) (avg. 138 m or 453 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.

Guillemont is a commune roughly 13 km (8.1 mi) east of Albert in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.

It, like much of the surrounding area, is primarily an agricultural community, but is known for its large cemetery, which has become a tourist attraction. The cemetery began as a field graveyard after the Battle of Guillemont, but was quickly expanded after the Armistice when graves from surrounding areas were centralized here.

Guillemont high street in 1916

In World War I, Guillemont was one of several important strategic areas controlled by Germans that effectively divided allied forces. It was exchanged several times during the war, before being finally taken and held by the British 20th (Light) Division and the 47th Brigade of the 16th (Irish) Division.

See also

• Communes of the Somme department

References

• INSEE