Oppy’s history brings together remembrance in the village and the battles and memories surrounding Oppy Wood. The Oppy Memorial stands in the village square; a war memorial to Kingston upon Hull was later erected in Oppy Wood. The Église Saint-Nicolas is also in Oppy. These places offer different points of reference for understanding the area and its history.

Remembrance in the Village and in Oppy Wood

The Oppy Memorial in the village square commemorates the fallen from Kingston upon Hull and members of all local units who lost their lives in the First World War. Its commemoration thus includes both the fallen from Kingston upon Hull and members of local units. Its location in the village provides a different point of reference from Oppy Wood, which is associated with the battles of 1917.

The history of the plot of land is also part of the story behind the Oppy Memorial: it was donated in memory of Pierre, a non-commissioned officer in the French 504th Tank Regiment. Pierre fell at Guyencourt on 8 August 1918. The donation of the land and the memorial’s commemorative purpose thus tell different aspects of remembrance: a dedication to one person, and the fallen from Kingston upon Hull and the local units.

The war memorial to Kingston upon Hull in Oppy Wood is a separate location. Kingston upon Hull chose the wood as the site for this memorial after the First World War; it was unveiled in October 1927. The two locations therefore lead to different memorials: the Oppy Memorial in the village square and the memorial in Oppy Wood. The Église Saint-Nicolas is another named place in Oppy, with a religious association rather than a dedication to the fallen.

Putting the Events of 1917 in Context

Several dates are significant for Oppy and Oppy Wood, marking different military events. On 28 April 1917, the British attack on Oppy failed. On 3 May, an attack whose objectives included capturing Oppy failed with heavy losses. On 28 June 1917, Oppy Wood was captured; 280 German soldiers were taken prisoner during this attack. These dates therefore describe not a single event, but two failed attacks on Oppy and the later capture of Oppy Wood.

An eyewitness account by a First World War veteran places troops at the Oppy Wood front shortly after the Battle of Vimy. This chronological reference complements the specific dates of the attacks and the capture. The war memorial to Kingston upon Hull was not unveiled until October 1927; the memorial in Oppy Wood thus belongs to a later chapter of history than the events of 1917.

Distinguishing Places and Routes

The historical course of the line can also be understood geographically: the Oppy–Méricourt–Vendin line ran west of Oppy and its wood. It branched off to run on either side of Arleux. This is a different geographical reference from the village square with the Oppy Memorial or Oppy Wood with the war memorial to Kingston upon Hull. For orientation, it helps to keep these locations distinct rather than treating the various memorial sites as a single setting.

There is no British military cemetery in Oppy. The nearest British cemeteries are in Willerval and Farbus. The memorial in the village square and the cemeteries mentioned are therefore different places for exploring remembrance. If you include these stops in your plans, be sure to keep the place names distinct.

The GR 121 and local walking routes in Oppy are included in plans to preserve them and improve access for visitors wishing to explore them. Plans include parking areas, rest and picnic areas, and information boards. For a specific walking itinerary, the status of these projects is relevant; it is best to check in advance. This lets you connect Oppy’s historical context with the question of whether to focus your visit on the village memorials, Oppy Wood, or the planned walking routes.

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Go to the main travel overview: Pas-De-Calais.