La Targette French National Cemetery, Military cemetery and national necropolis in Neuville-Saint-Vaast, France
La Targette is a French national cemetery in Neuville-Saint-Vaast where roughly 11,400 soldiers from the First World War lie in rows marked by uniform white crosses. The grounds include two ossuaries that hold thousands of unidentified soldiers whose names could not be established after the fighting.
The cemetery was established in 1919 after fighting in the region came to an end, particularly around the heights near Arras where French and German troops clashed fiercely. Many of the dead were gathered and brought together at this location only after the war concluded.
The site is named after a nearby road and serves today as a place where visitors read names on crosses and pause to remember those who fell. The simple design with white markers creates a solemn setting for reflection.
The cemetery grounds are easily accessible with an information office where visitors can search for records of buried soldiers and learn about specific individuals. It is worth allowing time to walk through the rows and study the memorial stones, particularly if you are looking for a particular person.
The site is designated as part of the UNESCO World Heritage collection of burial and memorial sites from the Western Front, recognizing its role as a testament to losses in the region. This status highlights its importance as evidence of the Great War casualties across this landscape.
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