houses souvenirs of the war. The underground shelters in which the museum is located served as protective bunkers for Albert's residents during aerial bombardments in World War II. The city appears in a short story, The Garden of Forking Paths, by the Argentine writer Jorge Luís Borges. In the story it is the location of a British artillery park that the Germans are about to bomb during World War I. The Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial is located only 9 kilometres from the village. It is a memorial site dedicated to Dominion of Newfoundland forces members who were killed during World War I. Officially opened by British Field Marshal Earl Haig in 1925, the memorial is one of only two National Historic Sites of Canada located outside of Canada. Twin towns Albert is twinned with the British town of Ulverston in Cumbria. The two towns regularly meet to play football at Easter with the Cyril Barker Shield being contested every year. Albert and Ulverston alternate the match's venue. Albert is also twinned with the German towns of Aldenhoven and Niesky. After the First World War, Albert was "adopted" by the English city of Birmingham, whose citizens funded a new almshouse building, and the main street is named Rue de Birmingham. Population Notable residents The French operatic bass Xavier Depraz was born in Albert on 22 April 1926. See also Battle of Albert (disambiguation) Communes of the Somme department List of France's twin towns Vendémiaire Pavot References External links Museum website Image of the Albert Basilica Communes of Somme (department) 50s BC establishments Populated places established in the 1st century BC Picardy