A conference was held in the Town Hall in Bapaume to mark the 140 year time lapse between now and the key battle that took place in the villages around Bapaume before involving the town itself, on January 3rd 1871, during the Franco-Prussian War.
The main action occurred in the village of Biefvillers-lès-Bapaume and the speaker, an elderly gentleman, explained how much he regretted not having interrogated his grandmother who had lived in the aforementioned village and who was 11 years old at the time of the battle.
To learn the remaining facts we have to rely on Bapaume's Archeological Society, who actively research and promote the history of their region: the Seuil de l'Artois (the Artois threshold).
The conference took place in the impressive hall on the first floor of Bapaume's Town Hall where Armand-Dumarescq's magnificent painting of the struggles in the aforementioned village covers a huge back wall.
We learned that the artist hadn't simply invented the scene but had taken the trouble to interview eye witnesses to get an accurate acount of events.
We were reminded of the terrible conditions facing the French soldiers: temperatures were constantly well below freezing, reaching minus 10 and beyond during the winter of 1870-71 - and thick snow lay all around. We also learned how badly shod they were. This detail really shocked me. It was a case of literally shooting oneself in the foot because the French companies who were paid to produce footwear for their army decided to take the money and cut corners. They used poor quality materials such as cardboard to line shoes that were designed, in theory, for battle-weary men. This obviously hindered an army that was fighting in the cold and wet.
Many critics say that General Faidherbe was wrong not to consolidate the ground gained by advancing into Bapaume, but he took a decision to withdraw, given the poor physical condition of his men. He decided to retreat to where his troops would be able to get some much needed rest.
Another interesting piece of information gleaned from the conference was the fact that the men who fought the French were in fact Polish soldiers under the command of Prussian officers. Having been told by the Prussians that the French would take no prisoners (not true); they were reluctant to surrender and prolonged the battle in the various dwellings in the village, instead of waving a white flag.
Today the vestiges of this battle are to be found on the Arras Road where an impressive monument stands. There is also a monument to the Fallen French soldiers in the local town cemetery in Bapaume together with an interesting momument to a German officer named Sigmund Oden.
Paula Flanagan
