Belgian War Graves Veurne

The cemetery in Veurne contains the graves of military and civilian victims of the First and the Second World War.

First World War
Military casualties
DOBELLAERE André, soldier 10th Line, Hansbeke 22 October 1918.
BIESWAL Joseph, Sublieutenant 6th Line, Hoogstade 15 October 1918.
MERTENS Louis, soldier 4th Jagers te Voet, Vinkem 19 November 1917.
There is the grave of an unknown Belgian soldier of the First World War. The tombstone is a ‘Heldenzerkje’ designed by Joe English for fallen Flemish soldiers with the letters AVV-VVK (Alles Voor Vlaanderen – Vlaanderen Voor Kristus).
Civil casualties
DESAEYER Isidoor, killed by an enemy shell in Oostduinkerke on 26 March 1915
DEQUIDT Marie (1877) and her children BEDERT Elisa (1900), Maria (1902), Martha (1913), René (1914), Kamiel (1916). This family died in the basement where they took shelter from the enemy bombardments.

Second World War
Military casualty
LARIDON Germain, soldier 24th Line, Halen 12 May 1940.

On October 27, 1917, 20-year-old Rachel Ryckewaert was murdered by her fiancé guardian Emiel Ferfaille, who was billeted as a soldier in Veurne.
After a thorough investigation, he confesses to the murder on November 3. The Third Division court-martial takes no extenuating circumstances and sentences l Ferfaille to death. A request for clemency was submitted to King Albert I, but the monarch does not accept this. The criminal law provided for this condemned death by beheading. The execution took place in the courtyard of the prison of Veurne on 26 March 1918. This was the last execution by guillotine in Belgium.
The grave of Ryckewaert can still be found here at the municipal cemetery of Veurne. OV-D-6-17.

Do you have more information about this location? Inform us!

Source

• Text: Luc Van Waeyenberge, Jhonny Bastiaensen
• Photos: Jhonny Bastiaensen (1, 2, 3), Luc Van Waeyenberge (4, 5)
• Belevingscentrum WOI Vrij Vaderland