Neuville-Saint-Vaast

2, Neuville-St.-Vaast and Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery, Neuville-St.-Vaast. The Neuville-St Vaast German war cemetery (also called Maison Blanche) is the largest in France from WWI, with 44,833 buried here.

• Name — Neuville-Saint-Vaast • Commune Status — Commune • Arrondissement — Arras • Canton — Arras-1 • Insee — 62609 • Postal Code — 62580 • Mayor — Jean-Pierre Puchois • Term — 2020–2026 • Intercommunality — CU Arras • Elevation M — 107 • Elevation Min M — 81 • Elevation Max M — 144 • Area Km2 — 12.59

Neuville-Saint-Vaast is 4 mi north of Arras. 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.

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. 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.

• Canadian National Vimy Memorial • Neuville-St Vaast German war cemetery

• Henri Gaudier-Brzeska, sculptor, died in the fighting here on the 5 June 1915. • François Hennebique, an inventor of reinforced concrete, was born here on the 26 April 1842.