Battle of Artois
La Targette French Cemetery, situated in La Targette within Neuville-Saint-Vaast, is positioned adjacent to the British war cemetery. The village faced complete destruction during the Second Battle of Artois, an offensive occurring in May 1915. Both cemeteries stand alongside the D55 road, connecting Lens to Maroeuil.
La Targette French Cemetery maintains a modest and solemn atmosphere, typical of French war cemeteries. Aligned rows of white crosses form geometric patterns across the manicured lawn, creating a poignant visual tribute to the fallen soldiers.
The majority of soldiers interred in this cemetery were killed during the offensive that commenced on May 9, 1915. The objective of the Second Battle of Artois was to weaken the formidable German defenses before launching an assault on Vimy Ridge.
Following their occupation of Neuville-Saint-Vaast, the Germans transformed it into a formidable stronghold. They repurposed the 150 village houses into fortified bunkers, strategically defended by cannons and machine guns.
They fortified the village with four lines of defense, comprising an intricate network of trenches and underground passages.
These defensive structures were further reinforced with blockhouses and forts, and intricately laced with barbed wire. This extensive defensive perimeter, spanning several kilometers, earned the moniker “the labyrinth.”
The offensive commenced on May 9 and persisted until June 17. Through painstaking efforts, the French gradually advanced, capturing territory inch by inch, trench by trench. This included the highly sought-after Colline Notre-Dame-de-Lorette.
Tragically, the intense battle resulted in a staggering loss of life on both sides.
La Targette French Cemetery
La Targette French Cemetery, inaugurated in 1919, serves as the final resting place for 11,443 soldiers who perished during the battles of Artois in WWI, along with 593 fallen soldiers from WWII. The ossuary houses the remains of 3,282 unidentified soldiers who lost their lives in these conflicts. The cemetery also contains graves of Jewish soldiers, while the section reserved for the men of the French Colonial Troops is oriented towards Mecca.
Together with the adjacent British war cemetery, La Targette French Cemetery spans nearly 50,000m2.
Pas-de-Calais department – Neuville-Saint-Vaast – on D55
Coordinates : Lat 50.349849 – Long 2.747102
