Location of Cassel in the arrondissement of Dunkirk
'Cassel' (Dutch: ''Kassel'') is a town and
commune in the
Nord department of northern
France.
Geography
Cassel stands on
Mont Cassel, a prominent hill in the
Flanders plain.
History
The Mont de Cassel seems to be a
Roman foundation built to serve as the urban centre of the
Menapii. Its
Latin name was ''Castellum Menapiorum''. Cassel has developed from ''castellum'' following Germanic phonetic rules. Many
Roman roads converged on Cassel and several are easily picked out today from the hill top.
Three major battles have been fought at Cassel:
in 1328 involving the army of
Philip VI of France. and
in 1677, that of
Philippe I of Orléans. During
the First World War, Cassel was a headquarters of the British Army from which the northern end of the
Western Front was directed. It was visited by leaders from King
George V, down. In World War 2 the second battalion the Gloucestershire regiment accompanied by the 4th Oxfordshire and Bukinghamshire light infantry held Cassel for three days during the retreat to Dunkirk. (27th may 1940-30th may 1940)
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