Lens Avant et aprés la Guerre
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LENS, before the war, was a town counting 50,000 inhabitants (the most
important coalery center of France). About 4 millions tons of coal
were extracted every year from the sixteen pits belonging to the Lens'
Coalery Company. After three years of life under the german's thrust, quite
near the front, the inhabitants have known exile after having obliged to
give up their homes. The TORTURED TOWN is no more, but an immense heap
of rubbish, In spite of it all, love for the native land as brought
back to this day, three thousand inhabitants, who are living in the caves or
else in shelters which they built themselves. The Government of the
Republic rewarded just has the city for its noble attitude before the enemy
by dignifying it with the Legion of Honour.
CITATION - Heroic city which can be quoted as a paragon of heroism and
patriotic faith.
Fallen under the German's power, since the first hour 1914's invasion; has
been during four years alternatively the witness of the stake of a merciless
fight.
Organized by the enemy in a formidable retreat of defence; partly freed by
an allied offensive; mutilated and crushed during incessant fights, has
never doubted of the country's fate (War Cross)
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Zillebeke Hill 60 - The Battlefield
St. Julien 1914-1918 Road to Ypres
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Ypres General View of the Town
Passchendaele The Ridge
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Gheluvelt The Shelters after the Battle
Zillebeke-Hooge The Battelfield - Tanks cemetery
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Poelcapelle View of the Village
Zonnebeke The Trenches from the road to Ypres
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Moorslede General View
Langemarck The Church and Place
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Arras - Champ De Bataille de L'Artois
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Arras (aprés) The Bell Tower and the little Square
Entrance of the Cathedral
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Arras (avant) The Bell Tower
The front of the Cathedral
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Arras (aprés) The great Square
The great Square
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Vimy The
Canadian's memorial
Lens (aprés) The great Square and the Church
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Lens (avant) Great Square and Church
Lieven (aprés) The Castle
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N.-D. de Lorette (aprés) The Chapel of the ridge
Ablain-St-Nazaire Sugar Works
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Ablain-st-Nazaire (aprés) Entrance of the Church
N.-D. de Lorette - The Chapel
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Latargette English Cemetery
Dug-out Petain the kitchen
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Latargette Entrance of the dug-out Petain
Ste-Catherine The Christ of the Cemetery
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Before and After - Head Square and the Church
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Before and After - Interior of the Station - The Quais
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Square of the Station and Station Street
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Before and After - Paris's Street and the Theatre
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Before and After - Boulevard des Ecoles - Schools' Bulwark
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Before and After - Lille's Street
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Before and After - The Church
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Before and After - The superior Schools Condorcet and Campon
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Before and After - The Place of the Cantin
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Before and After - Tennis Court and the Ste-Barbe Church - The Mill's City
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Before and After - The Channel
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Before and After - Street of the Battle
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Before and After - Schools' Bulwark
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Before and After - Head Offices of the Mines of Lens
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Before and After - The Station's Street
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Before and After - Pit No. 1 (Sainte-Elisabeth)
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Before and After - Pit No. 4
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Before and After - Pit No. 5 of the Mines of Lens
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Before and After - Pit No. 9
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Before and After - The Cemetery
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Before and After - Street and Ruins of the Hospice
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Before and After - The Saving bank and the Firemen's Hotel
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Before and After - The Church's ruins of the Lens' coalpits No. 12
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Before and After - The Old City Hall and Ruins of the new |