| Neuville-Saint-Vaast | |
| Commune Status: | Commune |
| Image Coat Of Arms: | Blason Neuville-Saint-Vaast.svg |
| Arrondissement: | Arras |
| Canton: | Arras-1 |
| Insee: | 62609 |
| Postal Code: | 62580 |
| Mayor: | Jean-Pierre Puchois[1] |
| Term: | 2020 - 2026 |
| Intercommunality: | CU Arras |
| Coordinates: | 50.3561°N 2.7589°W |
| Elevation M: | 107 |
| Elevation Min M: | 81 |
| Elevation Max M: | 144 |
| Area Km2: | 12.59 |
Neuville-Saint-Vaast (in French pronounced as /nøvil sɛ̃ va/) is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France.[2] It is located south of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial dedicated to the Battle of Vimy Ridge. The Memorial was built on Hill 145, the highest point of the ridge[3] to commemorate the battle and the Canadian soldiers who lost their lives during the First World War. The Memorial is also the site of the Canadian Cemetery No. 2, Neuville-St.-Vaast and Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery, Neuville-St.-Vaast.[4] [5]
The Neuville-St Vaast German war cemetery (also called Maison Blanche) is the largest in France from WWI, with 44,833 buried here.[6]
Neuville-Saint-Vaast is situated 4miles north of Arras, at the junction of the D49 and D55 roads. The A26 autoroute passes through the commune. Vimy Ridge rises from Neuville-St.-Vaast to its high point at Hill 145 (the location of the Canadian Memorial), where there is a steep drop off.[5]
In World War I, Neuville-Saint-Vaast was the location of intense mining activity by the tunnelling companies of the Royal Engineers. In March 1916, the New Zealand Tunnelling Company relieved the French 7/1 compagnie d'ingénieurs territoriaux in the "Labyrinth" sector of the Western Front. The German "Labyrinth" stronghold was located near Neuville-Saint-Vaast, between Roclincourt and Écurie and not far from Notre Dame de Lorette. On 29 March 1916, the New Zealand Tunnelling Company exchanged position with the 185th Tunnelling Company and moved to Roclincourt-Chantecler, a kilometre south of their old sector.[7] The 176th Tunnelling Company moved to Neuville-Saint-Vaast in April 1916 and remained there for a considerable time, as did the 172nd Tunnelling Company, which was relieved at Neuville-Saint-Vaast by the 2nd Australian Tunnelling Company in May 1916.[8]