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Mailly-le-Camp

Mailly-le-Camp
Commune
Town hall
Town hall
Coat of arms of Mailly-le-Camp
Coat of arms
Mailly-le-Camp is located in France
Mailly-le-Camp
Mailly-le-Camp
Coordinates: 48°40′07″N 4°12′28″E / 48.6686°N 4.2078°E / 48.6686; 4.2078Coordinates: 48°40′07″N 4°12′28″E / 48.6686°N 4.2078°E / 48.6686; 4.2078
Country France
Region Grand Est
Department Aube
Arrondissement Troyes
Canton Arcis-sur-Aube
Government
 • Mayor (2008–2014) Christine Dutripon
Area1 42.7 km2 (16.5 sq mi)
Population (2012)2 1,787
 • Density 42/km2 (110/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
INSEE/Postal code 10216 /10230
Elevation 118–202 m (387–663 ft)
(avg. 120 m or 390 ft)

1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

2Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Mailly-le-Camp is a commune in the Aube department in north-central France.

The town is mentioned as Mailliacus for the first time in 859 AD document.

In 1902 a large military camp was built in its territory.

On 3–4 May 1944, during the German occupation of France, the town was subject to a heavy Allied bombing. During preparations for the Normandy invasion (Operation Overlord), 346 British Avro Lancasters and 14 de Havilland Mosquitoes of RAF Bomber Command attacked the German military camp situated near the village of Mailly-le-Camp. The plan was for targeting aircraft to fly over at low level while the main force of Lancaster bombers orbited some distance away. Once the master bomber was satisfied with the marking the bomb force was to be called in. Although the target was accurately marked, the master bomber was unable to call in the force due to interference over the force's frequency with a USO broadcast and also by unnecessary chatting between nervous pilots. This led to a delay in the main force attack. While they were orbiting, fighter aircraft of the Luftwaffe began to arrive and attack the main force bombers. 42 Lancasters were shot down, 11.6% of the force, resulting in the loss of some 300 aircrew. However 1500 tons of bombs were dropped on the camp, causing considerable damage to the weapons and equipment held there and heavy casualties. No French civilians were killed in the bombing, although there were a small number of casualties when one of the Lancasters shot down crashed on a house.


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