Molliens-au-Bois (French pronunciation: [mɔljɛ̃ o bwa]) is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France.

Molliens-au-Bois
The town hall and school in Molliens-au-Bois
The town hall and school in Molliens-au-Bois
Coat of arms of Molliens-au-Bois
Location of Molliens-au-Bois
Map
Molliens-au-Bois is located in France
Molliens-au-Bois
Molliens-au-Bois
Molliens-au-Bois is located in Hauts-de-France
Molliens-au-Bois
Molliens-au-Bois
Coordinates: 49°59′20″N 2°23′10″E / 49.989°N 2.3861°E / 49.989; 2.3861
CountryFrance
RegionHauts-de-France
DepartmentSomme
ArrondissementAmiens
CantonCorbie
IntercommunalityCC Territoire Nord Picardie
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Frédéric Avisse[1]
Area
1
7.28 km2 (2.81 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
339
 • Density47/km2 (120/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
80553 /80260
Elevation62–129 m (203–423 ft)
(avg. 105 m or 344 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Geography

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The commune is situated on the D30 and D78 road junction, some 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Amiens.

History

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During the Battle of Amiens in August 1918, the divisional HQ of the U.S 33rd Infantry Division was set up in the chateau at Molliens-au-Bois. During that period, King George V went to the castle and awarded medals to General Pershing and other troops. General Bell was the C.O of the division.

On the night of August 8–9, 1918, as three Battalions of Doughboys from the 33rd U.S. Division were joining the Allied offensive during the Battle of Amiens, American war poet Lieut. John Allan Wyeth and Lieut. Thomas J. Cochrane were assigned to deliver sealed orders from Division HQ at Molliens-au-Bois to the Field Headquarters of all three Battalions engaged in the attack. The location of each Battalion was unknown, but they were believed to be along the northern bank of the Somme River, near the village of Sailly-le-Sec. Wyeth would later describe the mission in detail in his six interlinked "Chipilly Ridge sonnets."[3]

Population

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Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1968192—    
1975208+1.15%
1982195−0.92%
1990315+6.18%
1999326+0.38%
2007334+0.30%
2012332−0.12%
2017322−0.61%
Source: INSEE[4]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires". data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises (in French). 2 December 2020.
  2. ^ "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
  3. ^ B.J. Omanson (2019), Before the Clangor of the Gun: The First World War Poetry of John Allan Wyeth, pages 36-49.
  4. ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
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