Ville-sur-Haine

Ville-sur-Haine
Vile-so-Inne (Walloon)
The local school renamed École George Price
The local school renamed École George Price
Coordinates: 50°28′30″N 4°04′08″E / 50.475°N 4.069°E / 50.475; 4.069
Country Belgium
Region Wallonia
Province Hainaut
Municipality Le Rœulx

Ville-sur-Haine (Walloon: Vile-so-Inne) is a village of Wallonia and a district of the municipality of Le Rœulx, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium.

Ville-sur-Haine, old bascule bridge on the old Central Canal.

George Lawrence Price

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Canadian private George Lawrence Price, known as the last soldier of the British Empire to be killed in the First World War, was shot and killed by a German sniper[1] at Ville-sur-Haine just two minutes before the armistice went into effect. A memorial plaque marks the location.[2]

In 1991, the town erected a new footbridge across the Canal du Centre, at 50°28′25″N 4°03′58″E / 50.4737°N 4.0662°E / 50.4737; 4.0662 (George Price Footbridge). A plebiscite was held and on 11 November of that year the bridge was officially named the George Price Footbridge (French: Passerelle George Price).[3]

On April 24, 2015, l’école communale de Ville-sur-Haine was renamed École George Price.

On November 10, 2018, Canadian Governor General Julie Payette and other dignitaries, attended the inauguration of a tear drop shaped monument in honour of Private Price, located in Ville-sur-Haine.

References

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  1. ^ Bridger, Geoff (2009). The Great War Handbook. Barnsley: Pen & Sword. p. 182. ISBN 978-1-84415-936-9.
  2. ^ George Price, Web matters, retrieved 13 November 2010 Contains photographs of canal, monument and plaque.
  3. ^ Le Clercq, Jean, Le Rœulx: le village de Ville-sur-Haine (in French), Belgium, retrieved 13 November 2010[non-primary source needed]. Contains photographs of bridge and monument, and record (in English) by Price's nephew George Barkhouse as guest at the naming of the bridge.