SHAPE Pad

The Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) is the military headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) Allied Command Operations (ACO) that commands all NATO operations worldwide. SHAPE is situated in the village of Casteau, near Mons, Belgium.ACO's and SHAPE's commander is titled Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), and is always a U.S. four-star general officer or flag officer who also serves as Commander, U.S. European Command. From 1951 to 2003, SHAPE was the headquarters of Allied Command Europe (ACE). Since 2003 SHAPE has been the headquarters of ACO, controlling NATO also outside Europe. Even though the geographical scope of its activities was extended, SHAPE retained its traditional name with reference to Europe.

The Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic (SACLANT) was one of two supreme commanders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), the other being the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR). The SACLANT led Allied Command Atlantic was based at Norfolk, Virginia. The entire command was routinely referred to as 'SACLANT'. In 1981 SACLANT's wartime task was listed as being to provide for the security of the area by guarding sea lanes to deny their use to an enemy and to safeguard them for the reinforcement and resupply of NATO Europe with personnel and materiel.The command's area of responsibility extended from the North Pole to the Tropic of Cancer as well as extending from the east coast of North America to the west coast of Africa and Europe, including Portugal but not the English Channel, the British Isles, and the Canary Islands.Allied Command Atlantic was redesignated as Allied Command Transformation (ACT) on 19 June 2003. ACT was to be headed by the Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT), up to 2009 an American four-star admiral or general who was dual-hatted as commander, United States Joint Forces Command (COMUSJFCOM). SACLANT's former military missions were folded into NATO's Allied Command Operations (ACO).

Allied Command Transformation (ACT) (French: Commandement allié Transformation) is a military command of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), formed in 2003 after restructuring. It was intended to lead military transformation of alliance forces and capabilities, using new concepts such as the NATO Response Force and new doctrines in order to improve the alliance's military effectiveness. When France rejoined the NATO Military Command Structure in mid-2009, a significant change took place where the Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT) became a French officer. The first French officer to serve as SACT was French Air Force General Stephane Abrial (2009–2012).

SHAPE American High School is a US Department of Defense Dependents high school (DoDDS) for grades 9-12 located at Maisières, a town north of the city of Mons in Belgium. SHAPE American High School provides education for the dependents of military personnel and civilian employees at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), a NATO military installation. SHAPE High School adheres to a typical United States curricular and extracurricular program. The current SHAPE American High School was established in 1967 when SHAPE moved from Paris to Mons. The school separated into SHAPE Middle school and SHAPE High School in the 2014-2015 school year with the new completion of two new school buildings.

The first shot memorial is the common name of a monument in Casteau, Belgium, marking the first British engagement on the Western Front of the First World War. The monument stands near to the start of a charge made by elements of C Squadron of the 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards, commanded by Captain Charles Beck Hornby, against cavalry scouts from the German 9th Cavalry Division on 22 August 1914. A number of Germans were sabred and captured before the unit came under fire from a larger German force. The British dismounted and returned fire, with Drummer Edward Thomas firing the first shot by British troops on this front of the war, before withdrawing. The monument was designed by an architect from nearby Mons, Mr. Bertiaux, and was unveiled on 20 August 1939, just prior to the 25th anniversary of the action and the outbreak of the Second World War. The monument stands opposite one commemorating the furthest advance by the Canadian 116th Infantry Battalion at the end of the war, 11 November 1918.

Casteau (Walloon: Castea) originated as a village in the Hainaut province of Wallonia, the French speaking south of Belgium. Casteau has become a district of the municipality of Soignies, centred around Soignies (town), and together with the former villages, now districts: Chaussée-Notre-Dame-Louvignies, Horrues, Naast, Neufvilles, and Thieusies. The village is located between the towns of Mons and Soignies on the road Mons-Brussels. The river Obrecheuil flows through the village. In the past, there were some watermills along the river. Postal code: 7061 Province: Hainaut Municipality: Soignies Demonym: Castellois(e) Elevation: 63 to 115 m (207 to 377 ft) Area: 11,11 km² (4,3 square miles) Time zone: UTC+1

Maisières (French pronunciation: [mɛzjɛʁ]; Walloon: Maîsiéres) is a sub-municipality of the city of Mons located in the province of Hainaut, Wallonia, Belgium. It was a separate municipality until 1977. On 1 January 1977, it was merged into Mons.

Obourg (French pronunciation: [ɔbuʁ]; Walloon: Obour) is a sub-municipality of the city of Mons located in the province of Hainaut, Wallonia, Belgium. It was a separate municipality until 1972. In 1964, Saint-Denis was merged into Obourg. On 1 January 1972, Obourg was merged into Mons.

Nimy (French pronunciation: [nimi]; Walloon: Nîmi) is a sub-municipality of the city of Mons located in the province of Hainaut, Wallonia, Belgium. It was a separate municipality until 1972. On 1 January 1972, it was merged into Mons.

Saint-Denis (French pronunciation: [sɛ̃ dəni] ; Walloon: Sint-Dnis) is a sub-municipality of the city of Mons located in the province of Hainaut, Wallonia, Belgium. It was a separate municipality until 1964. In 1964, it was merged into Obourg. On 1 January 1972, Obourg was merged into Mons.

The Obrecheuil is a small river of Belgium, right tributary of the Haine. The spring is in the municipality of Le Rœulx. The river flows through the village of Thieusies, Casteau and St-Denis, to end her trip in the village of Obourg where the river meets the river Haine. The length of the river between the spring and the river Haine is about 20 kilometres (12 mi). Sometimes the river is named Aubrecheuil. Around the river is a fertile valley known as a centre for growing chicory, hops, and earlier in the 20th century tobacco.

The Battle of Saint-Denis was the last major action of the Franco-Dutch War (1672-78). It took place on 14 August 1678, four days after Louis XIV of France had agreed the Treaty of Nijmegen with the Dutch Republic, but before he finalised terms with Spain. The battle was initiated by the Dutch and Spanish forces to prevent the French capturing the Spanish-held town of Mons, then on the border between France and the Spanish Netherlands. The result was disputed, as both sides claimed victory. Leaving a small force to maintain the siege of Mons, French commander Luxembourg concentrated 40,000 to 50,000 men around the nearby villages of Saint-Dénis and Casteau, where they were attacked by a combined Dutch-Spanish army of 35,000 to 45,000 men led by William of Orange. In the early stages, the Allies overran the French flanks and forced Luxembourg out of his headquarters in the abbey of Saint-Dénis, but were then pushed back by a series of counter attacks, with many positions changing hands several times. Fighting continued late into the evening, when William pulled his troops back to regroup, leaving the French occupying most of their original lines. The exception was Saint-Denis, whose loss left the French position untenable. When the Allies resumed their attack early next morning, they found Luxembourg had withdrawn overnight and abandoned the siege of Mons. As a result, the town remained Spanish under the treaty agreed with Louis XIV on 17 September.