|
Lens Avant et aprés la Guerre
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)
Zillebeke Hill 60 - The Battlefield
St. Julien 1914-1918 Road to Ypres
Ypres General View of the Town
Passchendaele The Ridge
Gheluvelt The Shelters after the Battle
Zillebeke-Hooge The Battelfield - Tanks cemetery
Poelcapelle View of the Village
Zonnebeke The Trenches from the road to Ypres
Moorslede General View
Langemarck The Church and Place
Arras - Champ De Bataille de L'Artois
Arras (aprés) The Bell Tower and the little Square
Entrance of the Cathedral
Arras (avant) The Bell Tower
The front of the Cathedral
Arras (aprés) The great Square
The great Square
Vimy The
Canadian's memorial
Lens (aprés) The great Square and the Church
Lens (avant) Great Square and Church
Lieven (aprés) The Castle
N.-D. de Lorette (aprés) The Chapel of the ridge
Ablain-St-Nazaire Sugar Works
Ablain-st-Nazaire (aprés) Entrance of the Church
N.-D. de Lorette - The Chapel
Latargette English Cemetery
Dug-out Petain the kitchen
Latargette Entrance of the dug-out Petain
Ste-Catherine The Christ of the Cemetery
Before and After - Head Square and the Church
Before and After - Interior of the Station - The Quais
Square of the Station and Station Street
Before and After - Paris's Street and the Theatre
Before and After - Boulevard des Ecoles - Schools' Bulwark
Before and After - Lille's Street
Before and After - The Church
Before and After - The superior Schools Condorcet and Campon
Before and After - The Place of the Cantin
Before and After - Tennis Court and the Ste-Barbe Church - The Mill's City
Before and After - The Channel
Before and After - Street of the Battle
Before and After - Schools' Bulwark
Before and After - Head Offices of the Mines of Lens
Before and After - The Station's Street
Before and After - Pit No. 1 (Sainte-Elisabeth)
Before and After - Pit No. 4
Before and After - Pit No. 5 of the Mines of Lens
Before and After - Pit No. 9
Before and After - The Cemetery
Before and After - Street and Ruins of the Hospice
Before and After - The Saving bank and the Firemen's Hotel
Before and After - The Church's ruins of the Lens' coalpits No. 12
Before and After - The Old City Hall and Ruins of the new |
