Azeville is a commune in the Manche department in the Normandy region in northwestern France.

Azeville
Azeville bunker
Azeville bunker
Location of Azeville
Map
Azeville is located in France
Azeville
Azeville
Azeville is located in Normandy
Azeville
Azeville
Coordinates: 49°27′33″N 1°18′48″W / 49.45920°N 1.3134°W / 49.45920; -1.3134
CountryFrance
RegionNormandy
DepartmentManche
ArrondissementCherbourg
CantonValognes
IntercommunalityCotentin
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Nicolas Poisson[1]
Area
1
3.00 km2 (1.16 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
76
 • Density25/km2 (66/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
50026 /50310
Elevation6–34 m (20–112 ft)
(avg. 20 m or 66 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

World War II

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Some of the first German fortifications built on the French coast were started at Azeville battery in 1941. The Germans installed four First World War 105 mm guns in concrete casements. The guns at the battery fired upon Utah Beach on D-Day (6 June 1944) and the battery fell into American hands on the morning of 9 June 1944. The battery is now a museum.

After the liberation of the area by Allied Forces in early June 1944, engineers of the Ninth Air Force IX Engineering Command began construction of a combat Advanced Landing Ground to the south of the town. Declared operational on 24 June, the airfield was designated as "A-7", it was initially used by the 365th Fighter Group which flew P-47 Thunderbolts until mid-August when the unit moved into Central France. Afterward, the airfield was used by the 363d Fighter Group with P-51 Mustangs until mid-September when it was closed.[3][4]

Population

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Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1968 102—    
1975 109+0.95%
1982 83−3.82%
1990 73−1.59%
1999 78+0.74%
2007 78+0.00%
2012 87+2.21%
2017 85−0.46%
Source: INSEE[5]

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). 2 December 2020.
  2. ^ "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
  3. ^ Johnson, David C. (1988), U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO), D-Day to V-E Day; Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center, Maxwell AFB, Alabama.
  4. ^ Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1983. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
  5. ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
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