The Ruined Village

Hamel is part of the 381 villages of the East of the Somme which had known destructions. If the village was not entirely levelled to the ground as, for example, some places concerned by the battle of the Somme in 1916, few houses were still standing at the end of the war. An inhabitant would have recognized his farm among ruins thank to the place of the yard and a wall section. It's hard to imagine what villagers might have felt when they found their home destroyed. Of their only real possession bought by themselves or ancestors after working hard and saving money, almost nothing remains.

Because of the importance of destructions, inhabitants were not back before 1919. They had often taken refuge dozens of kilometres away since the village was evacuated on 26 March 1918. Municipalities elected people were the first allowed to visit the destroyed villages. Some inhabitants who had the means to travel and to get a pass could also made the trip and saw the destructions.

Except the problem of the housing, it was not possible to live in the village of other reasons. First, it was not possible to work. The soils was not cultivable, farming tools had vanished or were damaged, no more farming buildings or cattle. The tiny factory and their weaving looms were destroyed. Also, it was impossible for children to go to school. The town hall, the church, cafés, shops and other places necessary to village life were also missing.

Transportations are also disorganized. Roads and rail tracks closer of the front are damaged. Despite the destructions, Hamel and other villages were rebuilt and according to the same plan. It was far to be evident. For a little time, French government had an other project. It wanted to replace the more destroy villages by state forests. What has been done for razed villages around Verdun. But in the Somme, the project encountered a very strong opposition from mayors and inhabitants of the concerned places.

So Hamel and most of the villages war victims were rebuilt. The will-power of the inhabitants and their representatives certainly play a big role in the choice of the reconstruction. But the place of the textile industry and a relatively efficient agriculture also contribute to that choice. With respect to the involving costs, what Germany had to pay to France was supposed to cover war damages to all kinds of victims.

While waiting the reconstruction which will took many years, a provisory village was created to house the inhabitants know back in their village. There were two main categories of provisory housings: wood barracks and sheet-iron constructions with a brick base. There was 26,000 habitations of that standard in the Somme.

In both categories, the buildings were easy to assemble and dismantle. They were provided by state agencies to those henceforth named the "sinistrés" (disaster-stricken people). Most of the wood barracks (with a roof made of asphalted cartoon) were from the French army stocks. Sheet-iron constructions, the Nissens, had been given by the British government. It was also army's dismountable buildings.

The more little of the Nissen huts - knick named "metros" (mean subway) by locals - had a habitable surface of 38 sq. m. It was the pattern for families. There were larger provisory buildings for schools, town halls, churches or for farmers and merchants. Provisory housings were rented then sold at low prices. People had to wait several months to obtain such a home. But it was the condition for a definitive return. A community clinic was also settled in Hamel in order the inhabitants from the village and around to be healed if they need.

Villages were also helped by a system of adoptions. Hamel was adopted the district of Auneau (Eure-et-Loire) which has maybe sent material help or the fruit of collections. In the opposite of adoption by foreign towns, that link has not lasted. In Hamel, the last "métro", used as a garage, was dismantled in the 80's. Some barracks remain in the village but had been transformed a lot with time.

A woman and her children posing middle of the ruins. This family stays in a sort of caravan. One can see wall sections and the numerous wreckages.	Hamel is part of the 381 villages of the East of the Somme which had known destructions. If the village was not entirely levelled to the ground as, for example, some places concerned by the battle of the Somme in 1916, few houses were still standing at the end of the war. An inhabitant would have recognized his farm among ruins thank to the place of the yard and a wall section. It's hard to imagine what villagers might have felt when they found their home destroyed. Of their only real possession bought by themselves or ancestors after working hard and saving money, almost nothing remains.
Still a mother and her children sat on the ruins of their home. On left, their provisory housing. On the background, one can see a house. The one were the French flag was hang after the capture of the village.	Because of the importance of destructions, inhabitants were not back before 1919. They had often taken refuge dozens of kilometres away since the village was evacuated on 26 March 1918. Municipalities elected people were the first allowed to visit the destroyed villages. Some inhabitants who had the means to travel and to get a pass could also made the trip and saw the destructions.
Remains of the village church (click to compare). The road has been cleared. Men on the picture seem to be Australians; we don't know what they were doing there. On the right, branch of one of the village square lime trees.	Except the problem of the housing, it was not possible to live in the village of other reasons. First, it was not possible to work. The soils was not cultivable, farming tools had vanished or were damaged, no more farming buildings or cattle. The tiny factory and their weaving looms were destroyed. Also, it was impossible for children to go to school. The town hall, the church, cafés, shops and other places necessary to village life were also missing.
The main factory of the village in March 1919. The only one which was rebuilt.	Transportations are also disorganized. Roads and rail tracks closer of the front are damaged. Despite the destructions, Hamel and other villages were rebuilt and according to the same plan. It was far to be evident. For a little time, French government had an other project. It wanted to replace the more destroy villages by state forests. What has been done for razed villages around Verdun. But in the Somme, the project encountered a very strong opposition from mayors and inhabitants of the concerned places.
Remains of one of the big weaving looms of the factory.	So Hamel and most of the villages war victims were rebuilt. The will-power of the inhabitants and their representatives certainly play a big role in the choice of the reconstruction. But the place of the textile industry and a relatively efficient agriculture also contribute to that choice. With respect to the involving costs, what Germany had to pay to France was supposed to cover war damages to all kinds of victims.

Une rue du village provisoire (rue de Villers). D'un côté des baraques en bois, de l'autres des Nissen.	While waiting the reconstruction which will took many years, a provisory village was created to house the inhabitants know back in their village. There were two main categories of provisory housings: wood barracks and sheet-iron constructions with a brick base. There was 26,000 habitations of that standard in the Somme.
The scholls (girls school and boys school). Two big wood barracks.	In both categories, the buildings were easy to assemble and dismantle. They were provided by state agencies to those henceforth named the "sinistrés" (disaster-stricken people). Most of the wood barracks (with a roof made of asphalted cartoon) were from the French army stocks. Sheet-iron constructions, the Nissens, had been given by the British government. It was also army's dismountable buildings.
The provisory church. The brick base here is easy to see. The glass window on the top and the cross are naturally characteristic of the church.	The more little of the Nissen huts - knick named "metros" (mean subway) by locals - had a habitable surface of 38 sq. m. It was the pattern for families. There were larger provisory buildings for schools, town halls, churches or for farmers and merchants. Provisory housings were rented then sold at low prices. People had to wait several months to obtain such a home. But it was the condition for a definitive return. A community clinic was also settled in Hamel in order the inhabitants from the village and around to be healed if they need.
Another view of the rue de Villers and of the provisory village.	Villages were also helped by a system of adoptions. Hamel was adopted the district of Auneau (Eure-et-Loire) which has maybe sent material help or the fruit of collections. In the opposite of adoption by foreign towns, that link has not lasted. In Hamel, the last "métro", used as a garage, was dismantled in the 80's. Some barracks remain in the village but had been transformed a lot with time.