Bellenglise
Encyclopedia
Bellenglise is a commune
in the department of Aisne
in Picardy
in northern France
.
.
On the 28 August 1914 the French 10th Regiment of Territorial Infantry opposed a German invading force. The French unit was essentially from the local Département, with its depot in St Quentin. Despite a fierce defence, the French line gave and a battalion (1000 men) of the unit was taken prisoner.
The famous picture of the 137th Brigade, gathered on the canal bank at Riqueval Bridge, for a pep talk after the crossing of the St Quentin Canal, was taken nearby.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the department of Aisne
Aisne
Aisne is a department in the northern part of France named after the Aisne River.- History :Aisne is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was created from parts of the former provinces of Île-de-France, Picardie, and Champagne.Most of the old...
in Picardy
Picardy
This article is about the historical French province. For other uses, see Picardy .Picardy is a historical province of France, in the north of France...
in northern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Geography
The village lies close to the N44, in a loop of the St Quentin Canal, nine kilometres north of St. Quentin.History
About two kilometres to the north is the Riqueval souterrainSouterrain
Souterrain is a name given by archaeologists to a type of underground structure associated mainly with the Atlantic Iron Age. These structures appear to have been brought northwards from Gaul during the late Iron Age. Regional names include earth houses, fogous and Pictish houses...
.
On the 28 August 1914 the French 10th Regiment of Territorial Infantry opposed a German invading force. The French unit was essentially from the local Département, with its depot in St Quentin. Despite a fierce defence, the French line gave and a battalion (1000 men) of the unit was taken prisoner.
The famous picture of the 137th Brigade, gathered on the canal bank at Riqueval Bridge, for a pep talk after the crossing of the St Quentin Canal, was taken nearby.
Population
Sites and monuments
- The commune cemetery, with its military square just to the left of the entrance, where are buried soldiers who died for France.