Assevillers (French pronunciation: [asvile]; Picard: Asvilé) is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France.

Assevillers
The war memorial in Assevillers
The war memorial in Assevillers
Coat of arms of Assevillers
Location of Assevillers
Map
Assevillers is located in France
Assevillers
Assevillers
Assevillers is located in Hauts-de-France
Assevillers
Assevillers
Coordinates: 49°53′49″N 2°50′10″E / 49.8969°N 2.8361°E / 49.8969; 2.8361
CountryFrance
RegionHauts-de-France
DepartmentSomme
ArrondissementPéronne
CantonHam
IntercommunalityCC Terre Picardie
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Didier Jacob[1]
Area
1
5.47 km2 (2.11 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
308
 • Density56/km2 (150/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
80033 /80200
Elevation57–84 m (187–276 ft)
(avg. 87 m or 285 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Geography

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Assevillers is close to the motorway A1 Lille - Paris, the TGV Haute-Picardie station and the Albert – Picardie Airport. The nearest larger town is Péronne.

History

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During World War One, Assevillers was twice occupied by the German Army. There were many trenches to the west and to the east of Assevillers. During the battle of the Somme in 1916, Assevillers was destroyed. Assevillers was liberated by the 5th Division of the Australian Army on 28 August 1918.

 
Monument to Cecil Healy

On 29 August 1918, Cecil Healy, Australian Olympic swimming Gold medalist, died nearby while clearing German machinegun posts during the Battle of Mont Saint-Quentin. A statue in honour of Healy, Australia's only Olympic Gold medalist to have been killed in combat, was erected in Assevillers in 2018.[3] His grave is located in the Assevillers New British Cemetery.[4][5]

Assevillers rest area

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Assevillers rest area is one of the largest motorway areas in Europe. There are many shops and hotels at this rest area which is situated alongside motorway A1, at 122 km between Paris and Lille. The Assevillers rest area is close to 'Memory Circuit' (the historical sites of the Somme marked by the first world war).

To see

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- The polisher "Gres Saint Martin" - The church and City Hall - Assevillers New British Cemetery - Assevillers Rest Area

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires". data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises (in French). 9 August 2021.
  2. ^ "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
  3. ^ "He died 106 years ago, but in one French village they'll never forget this Australian Olympian". Sydney Morning Herald. 18 July 2024.
  4. ^ "Assevillers New British Cemetery". Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
  5. ^ "Cecil Patrick Healy: the only Australian Olympic Gold medalist to die in war KIA 29 August 1918". Western Front Association.