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Ors () is a
commune A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to: Administrative-territorial entities * Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township ** Communes of ...
in the Nord department in northern France. It is located on the
Sambre–Oise Canal The Canal de la Sambre à l'Oise () is a canal in northern France. It forms a connection between the canalised river Sambre (Meuse basin) at Landrecies and the Oise (Seine basin) at La Fère. The canal is long, and has 38 locks. The junction m ...
, in a small wood called Bois l'Évêque.


History

The commune was an area of intense fighting in November 1918 for control of the canal. Second Lieutenant
Wilfred Owen Wilfred Edward Salter Owen MC (18 March 1893 – 4 November 1918) was an English poet and soldier. He was one of the leading poets of the First World War. His war poetry on the horrors of trenches and gas warfare was much influenced b ...
was killed in action there, a week before the
Armistice An armistice is a formal agreement of warring parties to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, as it may constitute only a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace. It is derived from the ...
, and is buried at the Communal Cemetery beside many of his men. The village's new (2014) primary school is named for Owen.English newspaper story, coincidentally printed on Armistice Day 2014 Ors is famous for its yearly
water jousting Water jousting is a form of jousting where the adversaries, carrying a lance and protected only by a shield, stand on a platform on the stern of a boat. The aim of the sport is to send the adversary into the water whilst maintaining one's own ba ...
competition on the canal every August 15. Water jousting has been played there since the Middle Ages.


Heraldry


Monuments

The church, ''Église de l'Assomption'', was built from 1851 to 1872. Image:Ors communal cemetery.jpg, Ors Communal Cemetery The Ors Communal Cemetery is also the burial place of
Wilfred Owen Wilfred Edward Salter Owen MC (18 March 1893 – 4 November 1918) was an English poet and soldier. He was one of the leading poets of the First World War. His war poetry on the horrors of trenches and gas warfare was much influenced b ...
, the British war poet. There is also a memorial to Owen. Image:Ors maison wilfred owen.jpg, The Wilfred Owen Memorial in Ors


See also

*
Communes of the Nord department The following is a list of the 648 communes of the Nord department of the French Republic. The communes cooperate in the following intercommunalities (as of 2020):''Ors Communal Cemetery'' on the website "Remembrance Trails of the Great War in Northern France"Société des Jouteurs Sauveteurs d'Ors
Communes of Nord (French department) {{Nord-geo-stub