Bob Coulson Posted 3 January , 2003 Share Posted 3 January , 2003 A while back there was a discussion regarding Courcelette being adopted after the war by a town in the UK. Having just read "The Somme Battlefields" by Martin Middlebrook, thought I would list the adopted towns/villages given just for info. Derby - Foncquevillers Wolverhampton - Gommecourt Worcester - Hebuterne Sheffield - Serre Winchester - Beaumont-Hamel, Mailly-Maillet, Englebelmer London Borough of Leyton - Authuille Ipswich - Fricourt, Bazentin Portsmouth - Combles, Flers Canterbury - Lesboeufs, Morval Swansea - Carnoy Folkestone - Morlancourt Birmingham - Albert Burnley - Colincamps Blackburn - Peronne. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 3 January , 2003 Share Posted 3 January , 2003 Leamington Spa adopted Biaches, near Peronne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 3 January , 2003 Share Posted 3 January , 2003 Gheluvelt (Flanders) - Worcester Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 3 January , 2003 Share Posted 3 January , 2003 I also thought Montauban (Somme) had been adoptd by Maidstone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Noble Posted 4 January , 2003 Share Posted 4 January , 2003 I had some on disk Bob, but from memory, Guillemont- Hornsey Thiepval- Tonbridge Mametz- Llandudno Hebuterne- Evesham. Also i think, Neuve Chapelle- Blackpool Mercatel- Darlington. Regards, Chris Noble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicolas G. Posted 4 January , 2003 Share Posted 4 January , 2003 Goodday, I have the full list of Somme adopted villages & godmothers(?). I can confirm for Montauban with Maidstone. Courcelette was officially adopted by the French canton / district of Outarville in Loiret (dptmt/district). Ask me if you need me to check such things in my list for the Somme. Regards, Nicolas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Coulson Posted 4 January , 2003 Author Share Posted 4 January , 2003 Nicolas, Any chance of you posting the full list.?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicolas G. Posted 4 January , 2003 Share Posted 4 January , 2003 Hum... I start to type right now... Nice joke Bob! Of course I could scan & send 3 pages but I meant I can help for a couple of towns. Do you want the book or archive references ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Coulson Posted 5 January , 2003 Author Share Posted 5 January , 2003 Nicolas, Sorry, I didn't realise the list of adopted Somme villages would be so long. How many are there.?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicolas G. Posted 5 January , 2003 Share Posted 5 January , 2003 There's no matter Bob. 122 villages were adopted after WW1 in the Somme. Less than 1/10th by British places which adopted villages of the battle of the Somme area. Happy to help you, Nicolas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Noble Posted 5 January , 2003 Share Posted 5 January , 2003 Incidently,on the British Pathe News website, there is a newsreel with the title "A Little Help Is", depicting the Mayor of Hornsey donating a tractor,thresher and plough to the people of Guillemont. Regards, Chris Noble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Marshall Posted 6 January , 2003 Share Posted 6 January , 2003 As we're not sticking strictly to just the Somme......... Cambrai - Gravesend Regards Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Birch Posted 7 January , 2003 Share Posted 7 January , 2003 Hastings - Bethune Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Noble Posted 7 January , 2003 Share Posted 7 January , 2003 Neuve Chapelle- Blackpool Mercatel- Darlington. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Coulson Posted 7 January , 2003 Author Share Posted 7 January , 2003 Some good info coming through. How about any british towns associated with towns in F&F along the old front line. I will track replies and post a list as and when things "dry up". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrtle Posted 7 January , 2003 Share Posted 7 January , 2003 I was told by a Gentleman from Hythe who I met in Poperinghe that the two towns are twinned. Maybe somebody could confirm ? Myrtle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Tucker Posted 28 November , 2006 Share Posted 28 November , 2006 Just found this thread as a new member. I have just written a 4000 word article on the adoption of Albert by Birmingham which I am sending to Stand To (WFA mag) Alan Tucker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelab Posted 30 November , 2006 Share Posted 30 November , 2006 ........ Worcester - Hebuterne Sheffield - Serre ...... Funny, I thought Sheffield had supported Bapaume. The city certainly built a school in Bapaume. There's a museum on the first floor of that building now, I visited it in September. To celebrate the completion of the school (I think), every child in Bapaume was given a personal cutlery set (knife, fork spoon) in a presentation case. That of the museum curator is on display. There have been many visits from Sheffield dignitaries, and there's a Sheffield book of remembrance on display. Also there are some houses, built to house workers immediately after WW1 , called "les maisons de Sheffield" somewhere near the station I believe. Ah, just found a reference: http://www.webmatters.net/france/ww1_serre_sheffield_06.htm Obviously Sheffield helped both Serre and Bapaume! I am sure I also came across a very detailed French site about the museum though. Sorry, can't find it again. I think Villers-Bretonneux is supported by the Australian State of Victoria. Angela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 1 December , 2006 Share Posted 1 December , 2006 Just found this thread as a new member. I have just written a 4000 word article on the adoption of Albert by Birmingham which I am sending to Stand To (WFA mag) Alan Tucker Alan - did you come across anything about the creation of a memorial garden in Albert with trees being planted in memory of fallen soldiers, each one marked with a memorial plaque? I ask, as some years ago, a whole series of the plaques turned up in a local scrap merchant and some locals 'remembered' such a place. Many of the plaques are now on display in the Musee des Abris. Looking forward to your article. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Tucker Posted 1 December , 2006 Share Posted 1 December , 2006 No mention of a memorial garden with any Birmingham link which is not to say there wasn't one. Birmingham built the 'Pavilion de Birmingham' - an old folks home. Also there is a rue de Birmingham in Albert. Alan Tucker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce Posted 1 December , 2006 Share Posted 1 December , 2006 Givenchy was adopted by Liverpool, and Bootle retains strong links with Mons. Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bellflower Posted 6 December , 2006 Share Posted 6 December , 2006 Sittingbourne-Ypres............ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Wayman Posted 6 December , 2006 Share Posted 6 December , 2006 A while back there was a discussion regarding Courcelette being adopted after the war by a town in the UK. Having just read "The Somme Battlefields" by Martin Middlebrook, thought I would list the adopted towns/villages given just for info. Wolverhampton - Gommecourt Hi Bob Grandcourt was adopted by Stourbridge after the war. For years I have stayed in a gite in Grandcourt that was owned by the mayor of the village, M. Marcel Herbet. He kindly lent me much of the documentary material that explained the original adoption, the problems faced by the village as a consequence of war damage (e.g. only three residents remaining out of four hundred) and the actions taken to try to ameliorate the situation. Regards Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradley Posted 11 August , 2007 Share Posted 11 August , 2007 anstruther,fife with bapaume ..........i drove thru anstruther today and saw the signpost for the town with its crest and saying underneath it ,was twinned with bapaume............ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hector Posted 14 August , 2007 Share Posted 14 August , 2007 I was driving into Peronne from Bapaume 2004 and saw the sign twinned with Blackburn. The last thing I expected but was quite pleased knowingit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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