Ruins of famous church at Albert, France

Ruins of famous church at Albert, France

18706

The Church of Notre Dame de Brebieres at Albert was built of brick and thus differed from most of the churches of France, which are usually built of stone. But it was a handsome structure and before the war attracted many visitors. Albert lies a few miles north of the Somme River and during the desperate battles of the Somme it was laid in ruins. The church survived for a long time but a large figure of the Virgin and Child, which decorated the summit of the tower, was knocked partly over by a German shell and for many months hung suspended horizontally from some of its supports. To tens of thousands of British soldiers, stationed in or passing through the town, "the Hanging Virgin of Albert" became a familiar sight. So the statue remained hanging until the last battle of the Somme in the spring of 1918. Then it was finally thrown down, either by a German shell or, according to one account, by being struck by a German airplane which was plunging to earth, out of control. At all events, the noted statue fell and was buried beneath the ruins of the massive tower and the church walls.

1 stereograph : b&w

1 gelatine silver print stereograph (8 x 15 cm) mounted on card (9 x 18 cm)

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World War through the stereoscope