111-758: The Staffordshire Brigade (later 137th Brigade ) was a volunteer infantry brigade formation of the British Army from 1888 to 1936. It saw active service on the Western Front in World War I , including the attacks on the Hohenzollern Redoubt and the Gommecourt Salient , and the assault crossing of the St Quentin Canal , 'a most remarkable feat of arms'. The Staffordshire Brigade had its origin in
222-425: A gas cloud , two companies each of 1/5th North Staffs and 1/5th South Staffs in the lead, the other two of each battalion in the second line, followed by bombing parties to clear enemy dugouts. Things did not go according to plan: Brig-Gen Freetham found it almost impossible to deploy his troops, and they jumped off partly from Big Willie (2 companies 1/5th South Staffs) and partly from the old front line 300 yards from
333-610: A popular movement throughout the British Empire in 1859. Originally highly autonomous, the units of volunteers became increasingly integrated with the British Army after the Childers Reforms in 1881, before forming part of the Territorial Force in 1908. Most of the regiments of the present Army Reserves Infantry , Artillery , Engineers and Signals units are directly descended from Volunteer Force units. Prior to
444-542: A royal commission chaired by Viscount Eversley was appointed "to inquire into the condition of the volunteer force in Great Britain and into the probability of its continuance at its existing strength". According to the report, as of 1 April 1862, the Volunteer Force had a strength of 162,681 consisting of: Their report made a number of recommendations and observations on funding and training: To carry into effect
555-474: A County". On acceptance, the corps would be deemed lawfully formed. Existing corps were to continue under the new Act, although the power was given to the Crown to disband any corps. The constitution of a permanent staff consisting of an adjutant and serjeant instructors was permitted for each corps. The grouping of two or more corps into administrative regiments was recognised, and a permanent staff could be provided for
666-497: A better rotation of vehicles in the streets and reduce permanent occupation of public space by the cars cluttering the highway. Amiens was once served by two tram lines [ fr ] with a combined length of 10.7 kilometres (6.6 mi), opened in 1887. They intersected at Place Gambetta , one linking La Madeleine Cemetery [ fr ] , the Church of Saint-Acheul , Cagnard bridge, Rue de Noyon and Rue Jules-Barni ;
777-551: A capacity of 1,200 beds. The author Jules Verne lived in Amiens from 1871 until his death in 1905, and served on the city council for 15 years. Amiens is the birthplace of French president Emmanuel Macron . The town was fought over during both World Wars, suffering significant damage, and was repeatedly occupied by both sides. The 1918 Battle of Amiens was the opening phase of the Hundred Days Offensive which directly led to
888-516: A defeat for most municipal and community carriers of the project, the new mayor of Amiens Brigitte Fouré , and by extension the new president of Amiens Métropole Alain Gest , decided to suspend the project at least during the time of their respective mandates, thus applying a campaign promise (the tram was at the heart of debate) and despite a project announcement of trams on tyres (of TVR type). Improvement of public transit would then be only by that of
999-420: A diversion using dummies representing an advancing battalion. 46th Division was now ordered to capture Lens itself, beginning on 28 June. The attack by 137th Brigade gained its objectives with few casualties. Another divisional attack on 1 July aimed at capturing more houses and trenches. The troops were held up in severe house-to-house fighting before a second push cleared the cellars and caused heavy casualties to
1110-400: A fast-moving rolling barrage of field guns and machine-guns firing overhead. The canal defences had mostly been destroyed by the heavy artillery, which maintained fire until the last possible moment. The Staffords quickly stormed the outposts and the western trench line, and reached the canal bank on time, with few casualties, and having already taken 120 prisoners. There were 1000 German dead in
1221-507: A natural narrowing of the river due to the advance of the rim of the Picard plateau in Saint-Pierre ( ford crossing ). The Amiens citadel is built on this limestone butte of the Picard plateau and Rue Saint-Pierre is a slightly inclined path to leave the city from the north. At this narrowing, a network of narrow canals led to the construction of bridges and buildings including textile mills in
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#17328545583851332-518: A puff pastry tart made with leeks and cream. The first known settlement at this location was Samarobriva ("Somme bridge"), the central settlement of the Ambiani tribe, one of the principal tribes of Gaul . The Romans named the town Ambianum, meaning settlement of the Ambiani people. Amiens was part of Francia starting from the 5th century. The Normans sacked the city in 859 and again in 882. In 1113,
1443-456: A result of numerous studies and conferences, elected representatives voted for the creation of a tram at the municipal Council of 15 November 2012. The project had been endorsed by the Communauté d'agglomération Amiens Métropole on 18 December 2012 and the commissioning of a first north–south tram route was scheduled for 2018/2019. Following the elections of 2014 [ fr ] , which were
1554-628: A significant amount of tourism is based. Apart from the cathedral, there are the hortillonnages [ fr ] , the Jules Verne House [ fr ] , the Tour Perret , the Musée de Picardie , the zoo [ fr ] , and the Saint-Leu and Saint-Maurice neighborhoods. A total of 60 monuments are listed in the inventory of monuments historiques , over 1600 places and monuments listed in
1665-540: A stopover for leisure boats, which must go through a lock. The walls of the city's former dye factory are now those of the École supérieure d'art et de design d'Amiens [ fr ] (ESAD) as well as those of the Faculty of Arts. The École supérieure d'ingénieurs en électronique et électrotechnique (ESIEE) is in the same neighborhood. As the Citadelle, it will be renovated by the architect Renzo Piano to accommodate
1776-509: A wider European conflict. On 12 May 1859, the Secretary of State for War , Jonathan Peel issued a circular letter to lieutenants of counties in England, Wales and Scotland, authorising the formation of volunteer rifle corps (VRC, a.k.a. corps of rifle volunteers and rifle volunteer corps), and of artillery corps in defended coastal towns. Volunteer corps were to be raised under the provisions of
1887-536: Is a city and commune in northern France, located 120 km (75 mi) north of Paris and 100 km (62 mi) south-west of Lille . It is the capital of the Somme department in the region of Hauts-de-France and had a population of 135,429, as of 2021. A central landmark of the city is Amiens Cathedral , the largest Gothic cathedral in France. Amiens also has one of the largest university hospitals in France, with
1998-463: Is composed of Arms to which their use is not appropriate". The large number of small independent corps proved difficult to administer, and, by 1861, most had been formed into battalion-sized units, either by "consolidation": increasing an existing corps to battalion size (usually in large urban areas), or by forming administrative battalions or brigades by the grouping of smaller corps (in rural areas). An official book of drill and rifle instructions for
2109-576: Is for students. The area became the heart of the Amiens people's evenings, with many establishments (bars, restaurants, etc.) on Place du Don and Quai Bélu . The church is found at Rue Saint-Leu , located just between the Faculty of Science and Law-Economy (UPJV). Two theatres were established in the neighborhood, that of the Chés Cabotans (puppet shows in the Picard language ) and the Maison du Théâtre at
2220-443: Is served by: Amiens is served by several motorways: According to the urban transport plan (PDU) approved 19 December 2013 for the period 2013–2023 parking supply is considered abundant in Amiens. Although important, demand for parking is less than what is available (capacity reserves are still 20% minimum: If the road is sometimes saturated, the occupancy rate of the underground parking remains globally less than 100%). In 2013,
2331-478: The 166th (South Lancashire and Cheshire) Infantry Brigade of the 55th (West Lancashire) Infantry Division and were later incorporated into a reconstituted 59th (Staffordshire) Motor Division , in the 176th and 177th Infantry brigades. A new 137th Infantry Brigade was organised as part of the expansion of the Territorial Army in the spring and summer months just before World War II , but both this and
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#17328545583852442-649: The Armistice with Germany . The Royal Air Force heavily bombed the town during the Second World War . In the aftermath, the city was rebuilt according to Pierre Dufau 's plans with wider streets to ease traffic congestion. These newer structures were primarily built of brick, concrete and white stone with slate roofs. The architect Auguste Perret designed the Gare d'Amiens train station and nearby Tour Perret . Amiens has an important historical and cultural heritage, on which
2553-640: The Avre . The Selle enters from the northwest of Amiens, with two arms (including the Haute Selle) passing behind the Unicorn Stadium, the exhibition park, the megacity and horse racing track, then passing the end of the Promenade de la Hotoie and the zoo of Amiens, and to the right of the water treatment plant, in front of the island Sainte-Aragone, opposite the cemetery of La Madeleine in Amiens. The city developed in
2664-752: The Crimean War , it was painfully clear to the War Office that, with half of the British Army dispositioned around the Empire on garrison duty, it had insufficient forces available to quickly compose and despatch an effective expeditionary force to a new area of conflict, unless it was to reduce the British Isles' own defences. During the Crimean War , the War Office had been forced to send militia and yeomanry to make up
2775-878: The Crimean War , the British military (i.e., land forces ) was made up of multiple separate forces, with a basic division into the Regular Forces (including the British Army , composed primarily of cavalry and infantry, and the Ordnance Military Corps of the Board of Ordnance , made up of the Royal Artillery , Royal Engineers , and the Royal Sappers and Miners though not including the originally civilian Commissariat Department , stores and supply departments, all of which, with barracks and other departments, were absorbed into
2886-458: The Gare d'Amiens train station and nearby Tour Perret . Amiens, once regional prefecture of the former Picardy Region, is the prefecture of the Somme department, one of the three departments (with Oise and Aisne ) in the region. Located in the Paris Basin , the city benefits from a privileged geographical position, with close proximity to Paris, Lille , Rouen , London and Brussels . At
2997-524: The Haute-Picardie TGV station , allows access to the TGV network. It is served by buses from Amiens. Its isolated character earned it the name of gare des betteraves , or gare betteraves , at the time of its construction. In addition to Amiens – Glisy Aerodrome , bordering the town's eastern edge 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) from the center, there are several airports nearby. The Somme canal runs through
3108-665: The Isle of Man , and consequently the 7th (Isle of Man) Volunteer Battalion of The King's (Liverpool Regiment) continued to serve as the only remaining unit of the Volunteer Force until disbandment in 1922. (1868–1922) According to the Territorial Year Book 1909 , the Volunteer Force had the following strength over its existence: Amiens Amiens ( English: / æ ˈ m j æ̃ / or / ˈ æ m i ə n z / AM -ee-ənz ; French: [amjɛ̃] ; Picard : Anmien , Anmiens or Anmyin )
3219-554: The Middle Ages . The marshes of the old bed of the river Somme was used to dig peat. Farmers maintained rieux, canals and ditches by cleaning out the silt and used it to append to their vegetable garden plot. During the 20th century maintenance of the canals was stopped and gardens were gradually left to lie fallow or sold to private individuals who created pleasure gardens accessible by boat. The hydrographic network has always been an important city-operated asset. The river helped shape
3330-467: The Napoleonic Wars compared with the linear tactics of the standing army. Many units initially favoured green and grey (colours until then used by British and German rifle units in the army) rifleman uniforms as opposed to the red coats of the infantry and engineers of the army and militia. In turn, the army was glad not to have amateur volunteers wear the scarlet of the regulars . The provisions of
3441-745: The North Midland Divisional Engineers , the remainder of the brigade were renumbered 5th and 6th battalions in sequence after the Regular and Special Reserve battalions of their parent regiments. The Staffordshire Brigade was assigned to the North Midland Division of the TF. On the outbreak of World War I , the North Midland Division mobilised immediately, and soon afterwards the men were invited to volunteer for foreign service. This
Staffordshire Brigade - Misplaced Pages Continue
3552-692: The Official History says 'would have been a mere waste of life'. Early 1917 saw the 46th Division still holding the line in the Gommecourt area. However, at the beginning of March, patrols found that the Germans were beginning to retreat from the Gommecourt defences. The division followed up slowly and cautiously, but on the night of 14 March an attack on Bucquoy Graben (trench) by the 1/5th North Staffs and 1/6th South Staffs led to heavy casualties. The rushed attack had been ordered by V Corps headquarters despite
3663-696: The Reserve Forces , most of these had been allowed to lapse after the Napoleonic Wars, although the Yeomanry was maintained to potentially support the civil authorities against civil unrest, as at the 1819 Peterloo massacre , the Militia remained as a paper tiger , and rifle clubs were encouraged as the backbone against which the Volunteer force might be re-raised. The Militia and Volunteer Force were both re-organised in
3774-622: The River Somme to the east of the city and allows circumvention of the city by motorway-type roads. The A16 and A29 autoroutes, the RN1 and the RN25 form a bypass-type motorway around the city that the population has called the Rocade d'Amiens [ fr ] or Amiens ring road. Initially constituting national roads which are downgraded today, mostly as departmental roads, the greater urban area of Amiens
3885-556: The Second Boer War , when the prolonged campaign necessitated an increase in the size of British forces in South Africa. Volunteer Battalions formed Volunteer Active Service Companies that joined the regular battalions of their county regiments. Following the war, the battle honour "South Africa 1900–02" was awarded to the volunteer units that provided detachments for the campaign. By 1907, when its civilian administration teetered on
3996-793: The Stanhope Memorandum of 1888. This proposed a Mobilisation Scheme for units of the Volunteer Force , which would assemble by brigades at key points in case of war. In peacetime the brigades provided a structure for collective training. Under this scheme the Volunteer Battalions of the South Staffordshire Regiment and the Prince of Wales's (North Staffordshire Regiment) would assemble at Wolverhampton . The brigade commander and his Aide-de-Camp were retired Regular officers on
4107-706: The TGV Haute-Picardie station also provides access to the Charles-de-Gaulle Airport station . On the horizon of 2025, the Roissy–Picardie Link will put Amiens 55 minutes from Paris Charles-de-Gaulle Airport and its TGV station. By train, Amiens is located at: Since antiquity, Amiens has been a crossroads of important routes. The contemporary city is served by the A16 and A29 autoroutes. The Jules Verne Viaduct , 943 metres (3,094 ft) long, crosses
4218-531: The Volunteer Act 1804 ( 44 Geo. 3 . c. 54), which had been used to form local defence forces during the Napoleonic Wars . Alfred Tennyson captured the spirit of the time by publishing his poem Riflemen Form in The Times on 9 May 1859. As a basis for the units, many communities had rifle clubs for the enjoyment of the sport of shooting. Originally corps were to consist of approximately 100 all ranks under
4329-617: The bombs used in the attack manufactured in Birmingham . The perceived threat of invasion by the much larger French Army was such that, even without sending a third of the army to another Crimea, Britain's military defences had already been stretched invitingly thin. On 29 April 1859 war broke out between France and the Austrian Empire (the Second Italian War of Independence ), and there were fears that Britain might be caught up in
4440-482: The general inventory of cultural heritage , and 187 objects listed in the inventory of monuments historiques. During December, the town hosts the largest Christmas market in northern France. It is known for a few local foods, including " macarons d'Amiens ", almond paste biscuits; "tuiles amienoises", chocolate and orange curved biscuits; "pâté de canard d'Amiens", duck pâté in pastry; "la ficelle Picarde", an oven-baked cheese-topped crêpe ; and " flamiche aux poireaux ",
4551-520: The 1850s. These forces were originally local-service, embodied during wartime or emergency, and placed under the control of Lords-Lieutenant of counties, and, in British colonies , under the colonial governors . After the British Army's Regular Reserve was created in 1859, by Secretary of State for War Sidney Herbert , and re-organised under the Reserve Force Act 1867 ( 30 & 31 Vict. c. 110),
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4662-473: The 1960s, has been renovated and expanded on occasion. The Faculty of Law and Economics has also been transferred since the mid-1990s from the campus (offset to the south of the city) to its new location at the foot of the cathedral. The open-air parking it replaces was a "gap" in the landscape dating from World War II . Nonetheless, it allowed an unobstructed view of the cathedral. Most of the buildings have been renovated and transformed into housing much of which
4773-527: The 1st Devonshire Rifle Volunteers (and were often referred to as the 1st Rifle Volunteer Corps), and the Victoria Rifles (descended from the Duke of Cumberland's Sharpshooters , formed in 1803) who became the 1st Middlesex Rifle Volunteers. An order of precedence was established for ninety-two other counties, depending upon the date of establishment of the first corps in the county. The most senior artillery corps
4884-765: The 46th Division 'had widely been considered a "dud",' but it was largely untouched by the battles of the German Army 's Spring Offensive , and was well rested and thoroughly trained when it took part in the Allied attacks on the Hindenburg Line of late September 1918. It was assigned a key role in the Battle of the St Quentin Canal , being ordered to cross the canal itself between the Bellicourt and Bellenglise tunnels. In this section
4995-412: The 6th North Staffords, holding an enormous frontage in the wood, made a feint attack that allowed the rest of the division to clear Andigny les Fermes. By November, trench warfare had ended, and the brigade was in the forefront of the pursuit up to the Armistice with Germany . On 11 November 1918, 137th Brigade was at Sains-du-Nord , near Avesnes. It remained at Landrecies and later Le Cateau during
5106-428: The British Army when the Board of Ordnance was abolished in 1855). and the Reserve Forces . After the 1855 consolidation of the Regular Forces (ignoring minor forces such as the Yeomen Warders and the Yeomen of the Guard ) into the Regular Force (i.e., the British Army ), there still remained a number of British military (not to be confused with naval ) forces that were not part of the British Army; specifically
5217-521: The Corps of Rifle Volunteers and volunteer regulations were published in 1859 and 1861 respectively. From 1860 Cadet Corps were also formed, consisting of school-age boys, which were the forerunners of the Army Cadet Force and Combined Cadet Force . Like the adult volunteers, the boys were supplied with arms by the War Office, for which they had to pay a fee, which reduced the longer they remained members. Cadet Corps were usually associated with private schools. They paraded regularly in public. In 1862,
5328-411: The Force. The lord-lieutenant of a county, or the commanding officer of a corps or administrative regiment was empowered to appoint a court of inquiry into any corps, officer, non-commissioned officer or volunteer. Part II of the Act dealt with "Actual Military Service". The terms for calling out of the force were altered: this would now happen in "the case of actual or apprehended invasion of any part of
5439-428: The Longueau bus survived. A few old Parisian buses were also used in an extremely reduced service. These buses as well as the surviving bus were then converted to city gas and equipped with tanks on the roof covered by a huge white dome. This service continued until approximately 1946. There were only two urban lines: An east–west line (Saint-Acheul – Montieres) and a northeast–southwest line (Beauville – road to Rouen). It
5550-413: The Regular Army. This culminated in the Childers Reforms of 1881 which nominated rifle volunteer corps as volunteer battalions of the new "county" infantry regiments, which also consisted of regular and militia battalions within a defined regimental district. Over the next few years many of the rifle volunteer corps adopted the "volunteer battalion" designation and the uniform of their parent regiment. This
5661-403: The Reserve forces, to avoid confusion, were generally known as the Auxiliary Forces or Local Forces . The Regulation of the Forces Act 1871 removed the Lord-Lieutenant as head of the county reserve forces and they were increasingly integrated with the British Army. A large number of Volunteer Corps were formed during the French Revolutionary War but were stood down afterwards. Following
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#17328545583855772-416: The Reserve list, while the other staff were Volunteer officers drawn from the constituent battalions. The Staffordshire Brigade was organised as follows: The brigade formed part of Northern Command , and was commanded by the following officers: Under the Haldane Reforms , the former Volunteers were subsumed into the Territorial Force (TF) in 1908. The 1st VB of the South Staffordshires was converted into
5883-476: The Special Reserve, which provided a body of trained men available for drafting to regular battalions as required during wartime). The total cost of the TF was to be met in future by central government. In addition to the introduction of terms of service for volunteers, most of the units lost their unique identities, becoming numbered territorial battalions of the local army regiment, albeit with distinctive badges or dress distinctions. The 1907 act did not extend to
5994-455: The United Kingdom (the occasion being first communicated to both Houses of Parliament if parliament is sitting, or declared in council and notified by proclamation if parliament is not sitting.)" As well as being entitled to pay and billets, relief was also to be given to the wives and families of volunteers. A bounty of one guinea was to be paid to volunteers on release from actual military service, such release being notified in order by writing by
6105-407: The Western Front for the whole of the war, with the exception of a few weeks in Egypt. During World War I the brigade had the following composition: The brigade was not involved in the 46th Division's first action (the German flamethrower attack at Hooge in the Ypres Salient on 30–31 July 1915), but was in the forefront of the attack on the Hohenzollern Redoubt on 13–15 October that year. This
6216-416: The agglomeration of Amiens. The establishment of dedicated bus lanes began in 2006. Former Mayor Gilles de Robien had envisioned the creation of a tram [ fr ] , but the choice of dedicated bus lanes had been preferred for reasons of cost and patronage. His successor, Mayor Gilles Demailly [ fr ] , had been considering the development of a TSCP in the metropolitan area. As
6327-403: The altitude varies between 14 and 106 metres (46 and 348 ft). The main stem of the River Somme passes through Amiens and is generally benign, except during exceptional floods that can last up to several weeks (such as in spring 2001). It is also, on its southeastern outskirts, close to Camon and Longueau , the confluence with its main tributary on the left bank (to the south), and
6438-478: The anticipated captures. But the attack was another disaster, the first wave being cut down almost on the start line. The jumping-off and communication trenches were completely inadequate, and the following waves were badly delayed, completely mixed up, and suffering casualties from German shellfire. The brigadier tried to organise a second attack by 1/5th North Staffs and 1/5th South Staffs, but after several delays they were told to 'sit tight' and abandon an attack that
6549-427: The attackers from enfilade fire by MGs along the canal, and they seized the Bellenglise tunnel galleries, trapping hundreds of Germans inside. At Riqueval they got an even bigger prize: the Germans had left the concrete bridge standing as the main supply route for their troops on the western bank. The bridge had been prepared for demolition, but the Germans considered the sector impregnable. A company of 6th North Staffs
6660-437: The brigade in the interwar years: In December 1936 the 46th (North Midland) Division was disbanded and its headquarters was reconstituted as 2nd Anti-Aircraft Division . The 5th North Staffords was transferred to the Royal Engineers and converted into 41st (The North Staffordshire Regiment) Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers . The 5th and 6th South Staffords and 6th North Staffs of 137th Brigade were transferred to
6771-415: The brink of insolvency, the Volunteer Force had become indispensable to British defence planning, as well as an enabler of the Regular Army's drawing its own forces away from home defence stations. Consequently, the government passed the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 , which merged the Volunteer Force with the Yeomanry to form the Territorial Force in 1908 (while the Militia was re-organised as
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#17328545583856882-471: The bus network. Indeed, in December of the same year, the Community Council approved funding for a study (the sixth in 20 years) relating to the establishment of a rapid transit bus network (BHNS), which should enter into service in March 2019, and whose vehicles could be electric. Amiens has developed two bike services: Buscyclette and Velam [ fr ] . In 2012, Amiens Métropole had 100 kilometres (62 mi) of routes for cyclists. Despite
6993-433: The canal dryshod to pass through 137th Brigade and head off towards the Yellow Line at 11.20. The battle as a whole was a triumph, described as 'one of the greatest successes of the war on the Western Front'. The Stafford Brigade played a full part in the final advances of the war. On 3 October it again led 46th Division's assault on the Beaurevoir Line, but on 11 and 12 October it was held up in Riquerval Wood. On 17 October,
7104-566: The canal runs through a deep cutting, both sides of which were covered in barbed wire and concrete pillboxes. 137th Brigade under Brigadier-General John Campbell , VC , was to spearhead this extremely hazardous attack, on a section of line that the Germans considered impregnable. The brigade prepared thoroughly for this amphibious operation, with petrol-tin rafts, collapsible boats, 'mud mats', lifelines and scaling ladders, together with 3000 lifebelts 'scrounged' from cross-Channel leave boats After two days of bombardment and preliminary attacks, there
7215-428: The change of majority, the Gilles Demailly [ fr ] team launched a consultation with the population. From 2011, residential parking was extended to the Gare-La-Vallée and Riolan neighborhoods, then in 2012 to the Noyon neighborhood and the area east of the Riolan sector. In 2014, 2,600 parking spaces were affected by this system which allowed city residents more parking near their homes in order to promote
7326-440: The city counted approximately 70,000 public parking spaces, including 8,400 in the city center and in its immediate vicinity, where 70% of places are paid. As of 2007 , a residential parking system has been deployed in Saint-Anne ward to cope with congestion in the streets caused by SNCF railway station users. During the campaign for the municipal election of 2008 , parking was one of the important topics of debate. A year after
7437-417: The city to Boulogne-sur-Mer . During the 1870 Battle of Amiens , the city was occupied by invading Prussian forces. The town was fought over during both the First and Second World Wars, suffering significant damage and being occupied several times by both sides. The 1918 Battle of Amiens was the opening phase of the Hundred Days Offensive which led directly to the Armistice with Germany that ended
7548-402: The city was recognized by King Louis VI of France , and in 1185 it was linked to the Crown of France. In 1597, Spanish soldiers held the city during the six-month Siege of Amiens , before Henry IV regained control. During the 18th and 19th century, the textile tradition of Amiens became famous for its velours . As a result of the French Revolution , the provinces of France were dismantled and
7659-402: The command of a captain, with some localities having subdivisions of thirty men under a lieutenant. The purpose of the rifle corps was to harass the invading enemy's flanks, while artillery corps were to man coastal guns and forts. Although not mentioned in the circular letter, engineer corps were also formed, principally to place underwater mines for port defence. Stretcher-bearers attached to
7770-419: The crossroads of major European routes of travel ( A1 , A16 and A29 ), the city is also at the heart of a major rail star. As the crow flies , the city is 115 kilometres (71 mi) north of Paris, 97 kilometres (60 mi) south-west of Lille, 100 kilometres (62 mi) north-east of Rouen, 162 kilometres (101 mi) east-north-east of Le Havre and 144 kilometres (89 mi) north-west of Reims . At
7881-415: The defenders. But in the afternoon a German counter-attacks drove the attackers back to their start line. After Lens, the division was withdrawn into reserve, and did not engage in major operations again during 1917. On 29–30 January 1918 the 1/5th North Staffs was broken up to provide replacements to other North Staffs battalions, including the 1/6th Battalion in 137th Brigade. After its previous failures,
7992-676: The deployment of parking facilities over the entire territory of the city, close to the facilities frequented by bikers, as well as cyclist right-turns [ fr ] at traffic lights or even the maintenance of existing facilities. There are three railway stations: Connections from these two stations include to Lille via Arras and Douai , to Boulogne via Abbeville , to Paris-Nord via Creil or Compiègne , to Reims via Tergnier , and to Rouen . Many regional and extra regional links (Normandie, Grand Est and Île-de-France) pass through Amiens, especially by TER Hauts-de-France . A station located 45 kilometres (28 mi) from Amiens,
8103-439: The development of a bicycle plan in 1997 which was planning the development of 500 kilometres (310 mi) of equipped cycleways, the network of the territory in terms of paths is still incomplete. The blueprint of the bicycle facilities of the agglomeration (SDAC) provides, over a period of 10 years (2014–2024), for 188 kilometres (117 mi) of cycle routes and equips 490 sites for the parking of bikes. This plan also includes
8214-637: The foot of the Saint-Leu Church. There is also La Lune des Pirates , a concert hall. Located to the west of the Citadelle , and east of the La Madeleine Cemetery [ fr ] , this very old working-class neighborhood of Amiens acted as an industrial center in the 18th century. It is currently undergoing significant housing renovation and development. Bordered by the Canal de la Somme , it offers
8325-502: The foot of the cathedral, traversed by canals, this picturesque area was largely rehabilitated during the 1990s. It extends to the Somme canal, located more to the north, at the foot of the Coteau Saint-Pierre on which the fortress of Jean Errard , called Citadelle , was built. Historically, it was the poor neighborhood of the city, where butchers, tanners and dyers gathered. Amiens University's Faculty of Sciences, present since
8436-540: The grouping. However the individual corps were to continue to exist. As in the earlier legislation, a volunteer could resign with fourteen days notice, with the addition that if a commanding officer refused to remove a volunteer from the roll of the corps, then he could appeal to two justices of the peace of the county. An annual inspection by an officer of the regular army was instituted, and efficiency standards were to be set by Order in Council , as were regulations for governing
8547-488: The identity of the landscape, urban and economic territory. It is around the Saint-Leu and Saint-Maurice neighborhoods that border the River Somme, as well as most of the administrative and civil area of the current city center which the city has developed since antiquity . The Canal de la Somme dates from the beginning of the 19th century and the bridge at the foot of the citadel was built after World War II . Amiens has
8658-476: The leads to the demolition charges. The Staffords reorganised on the east bank protected by a standing barrage before moving on at 07.30. Platoon commanders used compasses to maintain direction in the fog. By 0820 all three battalions had reached the Brown line, capturing a German battery before it could pull out. Meanwhile, the engineers and divisional pioneers were laying footbridges, and the supporting brigades crossed
8769-497: The line in the Vimy sector, suffering a steady trickle of casualties over the coming months. In May, however, it began to move south to take part in the forthcoming offensive on the Somme. The division was ordered to assault the north side of the Gommecourt Salient on 1 July 1916. The operation, in conjunction with the 56th (1/1st London) Division attacking from the south, aimed at cutting off
8880-409: The lord-lieutenant. If disabled on service, officers and volunteers were to receive a pension. Part III dealt with discipline and part IV with the rules and property of the corps. Part V dealt with the process of acquiring land for shooting ranges. Apart from the corps taking ownership of the land, a municipal corporation or private company could grant a licence to the volunteers to use their land for
8991-603: The lord-lieutenant. The Isle of Man was also to dealt with as if it were a county of England, with the Lieutenant-Governor performing the same role as a county lord-lieutenant. In 1872, under the provisions of the Regulation of the Forces Act 1871, jurisdiction over the volunteers was removed from the county lord-lieutenants and placed under the Secretary of State for War . Volunteer units became increasingly integrated with
9102-477: The new 46th Infantry Division formed in October 1939 were 2nd-Line duplicates of the 49th (North Midland and West Riding) Infantry Division and had no Staffordshire connection, with the new 137th Brigade having 2/5th West Yorkshire Regiment , 2/6th and 2/7th Duke of Wellington's Regiment . Volunteer Force The Volunteer Force was a citizen army of part-time rifle, artillery and engineer corps, created as
9213-522: The other from the Church of Saint-Pierre at the racecourse, by the streets of Saint-Leu, Frédéric-Petit and Colbert. Electrified in 1899, the network grew to seven lines totaling 19 kilometres (12 mi) in 1906. From 1932, Longueau was linked to Amiens by a bus service. German bombing in 1940 destroyed most of the city center and hit the Jules-Ferry Road tram depot, totally destroying the tram fleet. Only
9324-744: The part-time Reserve Forces , which had at various times included the Honourable Artillery Company , Militia Force (also referred to as the Constitutional Force , and originally an infantry force), the Yeomanry Force (made up of mounted units, organised similarly to the Volunteer Force), Volunteer Force , and Fencibles . Equivalents were also raised in the Crown Dependencies and many colonies. Known collectively as
9435-604: The protests of the divisional commander. The battalions had been on the training grounds practising for the attack when it was brought forward. Although 'the assault was gallantly pressed' ( Official History ) it was a complete failure, with heavy casualties. After rest and training, 46th Division returned to the line in the coal-mining sector around Lens in April. Late in May, the division began small-scale operations against Hill 65. On 8 June, 138th Brigade attacked, with 137th Brigade providing
9546-908: The purpose. Justices of the peace were given the power to close rights of way adjacent to ranges. The Act concluded by defining the counties to which the corps were to belong: for the purposes of the Act the Isle of Wight , the Tower Hamlets and the Cinque Ports were separate counties, with the Governor of the Isle of Wight, the Constable of the Tower of London and the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports commissioning officers in place of
9657-463: The recommendations of the commission, and to replace the 1804 legislation, the Volunteer Act 1863 ( 26 & 27 Vict. c. 65) was passed. Part I of the Act dealt with the organisation of the Volunteer Force. It became lawful for "Her Majesty to accept the services of persons desiring to be formed under the Act into a Volunteer Corps, and offering their services to Her Majesty through the Lieutenant of
9768-399: The regional level, Amiens is located 53 kilometres (33 mi) north of Beauvais , 71 kilometres (44 mi) west of Saint-Quentin , 66 kilometres (41 mi) from Compiègne and 102 kilometres (63 mi) from Laon . In area, Amiens is the third-largest settlement in the Somme, after Crécy-en-Ponthieu and Hornoy-le-Bourg . The area of the commune is 4,946 hectares (12,220 acres);
9879-471: The rest of Big Willie. The British bombardment had been ineffective while the German artillery brought down a barrage on the division's jumping-off trenches. The attacking battalions came under enfilade fire and lost hundreds of casualties within a few yards of their own line. Only a handful of 1/5th North Staffs got as far as Big Willie, while the attack of the 1/5th South Staffs never got going. The British attack
9990-524: The rifle corps subsequently formed volunteer medical detachments affiliated to the Army Medical Corps . In a handful of counties, units of light horse or mounted rifles were formed. Two volunteer units whose services had been accepted by Queen Victoria during the early 1850s became the two senior rifle corps of the new force. These were the Exeter and South Devon Volunteers , formed in 1852, who became
10101-456: The salient, but was in fact a diversion for the main attack a few miles south that opened the Battle of the Somme . 1/6th South Staffs and 1/6th North Staffs were to form the first waves, with 1/5th South Staffs and 1/5th North Staffs supporting the attack with bombing parties and forming the rear waves setting off from the Support Line carrying heavy loads of trench equipment for consolidating
10212-635: The shortfall of soldiers in the Regular Army . The situation had been complicated by the fact that both auxiliary forces were under the control of the Home Office until 1855. Tensions rose between the United Kingdom and France following the Orsini affair , an assassination attempt on Emperor Napoleon III on 14 January 1858. It emerged that the would-be assassin, Felice Orsini had travelled to England to have
10323-422: The territory was organised into departments . Much of Picardy became the newly created department of Somme with Amiens as the departmental capital. During the industrial revolution , the city walls were demolished, opening up space for large boulevards around the town center. The Henriville neighborhood in the south of the city was developed around this time. In 1848, the first railway arrived in Amiens, linking
10434-459: The town to the English Channel . This canal is linked to the Canal du Nord (Paris to Lille metropolitan area). Amiens comprises a number of neighborhoods ( French : quartiers ) with their own characteristics, including Saint-Leu, St-Maurice, Henriville, and Saint-Acheul. St-Leu forms part of Amiens, north of the city center. It has many older wooden and brick houses and several canals. At
10545-473: The trenches, mainly from MG bullets. German reports after the battle complained that their 'SOS barrage' was late, but in fact it came down only five minutes after Zero – indiscriminately on British and Germans alike – yet the Staffords were advancing faster than anyone had predicted. The leading parties went over the canal with their improvised kit and by a single plank bridge left by the Germans. The mist protected
10656-584: The typical oceanic climate of the north of France, with relatively mild winters, cool summers, and rainfall well distributed throughout the year. Amiens is a hub between the Île de France and the rest of northern France; Normandy and Benelux ; and France and Great Britain. Amiens is not directly on principal European road and rail arteries, such as the A1 motorway and the Paris-Lille TGV train line, at present. However, due to its position halfway between
10767-568: The university departments (UFR) of: letters, history and geography, languages, the École supérieure du professorat et de l'éducation [ fr ] (ESPE), the House of Languages, the House of Research and the University Library in 2015. The Jardin des plantes [ fr ] , known as the Jardin du Roy within the city, is also located in this neighborhood. The Henriville neighborhood
10878-436: The urban areas of Lille and Paris, Amiens has good conditions for service and accessibility, including motorways (at the junction of the A16 and A29 ). Amiens station is served by regional train services to destinations that include Rouen, Calais, Lille, Reims, Compiègne and Paris-Nord. Saint-Roch (Somme) station in the western part of the city is served by local trains towards Rouen and Abbeville. A regular bus route with
10989-466: The volunteers having to purchase their own rifles and uniforms was felt by some to exclude the lower classes. Unlike regular rifle regiments, the volunteer units had colours often made and presented by the women of the community. These were unauthorised, however, with the Volunteer Regulations stating "Neither Standards nor Colours are to be carried by Corps on parade, as the Volunteer Force
11100-462: The war. In June 1944 following D-Day , Amiens was heavily bombed by the Royal Air Force. The town was liberated by British forces on 31 August. The city was rebuilt according to Pierre Dufau 's plans with a focus on widening the streets to ease traffic congestion. These newer structures were primarily built of brick, concrete and white stone with slate roofs. The architect Auguste Perret designed
11211-518: The winter of 1918–19, clearing the battlefields as demobilisation proceeded. The last cadres returned home in June 1919. The following officers commanded 137th Brigade during World War I: The brigade was reconstituted in the renamed Territorial Army (TA) in 1920 with the same four battalions with which it had entered World War I. Its headquarters was at Whittington Barracks , Lichfield, and later at Fair Oaks House, Rugeley . The following officers commanded
11322-480: Was accepted by the majority, and the division moved to Luton to train for deployment overseas. It began landing in France in late February 1915 and by 8 March had completed its concentration – the first complete TF formation to arrive on the Western Front . Shortly afterwards the TF formations were numbered, the North Midland Division becoming the 46th (North Midland) Division , and the Staffordshire Brigade
11433-466: Was an attempt to restart the failed Battle of Loos , and the division was moved down from Ypres on 1 October for the purpose. The Germans recaptured the Hohenzollern trench system on 3 October, and the new attack was aimed at this point, the actual objective for 137th Brigade being to clear 'Big Willie' trench followed by 'The Dump' behind the Hohenzollern trenches. It went in at 14.00 on 13 October behind
11544-523: Was decided after the war to serve the city by a trolleybus with one route to Longueau. This was only in part realized, serving Saint-Acheul, Rouen, La Madeleine and Saint-Pierre. In 1964, trolleybuses were abandoned and the bus became ubiquitous in Amiens transportation. The current public transport network [ fr ] consists of a bus network managed by the Ametis mixed economy company [ fr ] , whose network covers Amiens Métropole ,
11655-406: Was designated 137th (Staffordshire) Brigade on 12 May 1915. Meanwhile, duplicate or 2nd-Line TF forces were being organised in the United Kingdom from Home Service personnel and new recruits who came flooding in, with 176th (2/1st Staffordshire) Brigade forming in 59th (2nd North Midland) Division , after which the original units were distinguished by a '1/' prefix. The 137th Brigade served on
11766-479: Was detailed to rush the bridge before the Germans could blow it. Captain A.H. Charlton and nine men dashed out of the fog, bayoneted the machine-gunners guarding the west end, and ran across the bridge in a race with the demolition party emerging from a bunker at the east end (where a memorial erected by the Western Front Association now stands). The Staffords won the race, shooting the Germans and cutting
11877-475: Was far from universal, however, with some corps retaining their original names and distinctive dress until 1908. The artillery volunteers were similarly remodelled as reserve formations of the Royal Artillery , eventually being redesignated as Royal Garrison Artillery (Volunteers) in 1902, while the Engineer Volunteers became Royal Engineers (Volunteers). The volunteers finally saw active service during
11988-439: Was hurriedly called off. In December 1915 the division was ordered to Egypt, and 137th Brigade arrived there by 13 January. A week later the move was countermanded and the troops re-embarked for France, concentrating near Amiens by mid-February. The only result of this move was an outbreak of infectious disease ( Paratyphoid fever and Diphtheria ) that weakened units and men for months to come. The 46th Division went back into
12099-599: Was mostly built during the 19th century after the demolition of the city wall. It lies at the south of the town center. It has numerous bourgeois houses and townhouses , predominantly in brick, blending architectural styles of the period, including neoclassical , troubadour and neo-Gothic . There are also private mansions, such as the Acloque mansion and the house of Jules Verne . The Saint-Acheul neighborhood( IPA: [sɛ̃t‿aʃœl] ) existed before Amiens' inception, as people have lived there since prehistoric times. This
12210-412: Was no chance of surprise, but 29 September dawned with a thick ground fog to help the attackers' smokescreen. The plan was for 137th Brigade to capture the crossings and advance as far as the 'Brown Line', after which 138th and 139th brigades would pass through and continue to the 'Yellow' and 'Green Lines'. At 05.50 the Staffords set off, with almost a mile to go before they reached the canal, following
12321-465: Was the 1st Northumberland formed at Tynemouth on 2 August 1859. Initially, there were attempts at class distinction with the middle class seeing the formation of rifle units as a contrast with the strict class divide between the officers of the gentry and the other ranks of the working class and farm labourers of the militia and the standing army. Some also compared the initiative, small unit tactics and marksmanship principles of rifle regiments of
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