Memento First World War Stadsarchief Aalst

The city archives contain:

A memento of 2 fallen fellow townspeople, beautifully framed by 2 bronze branches.

"What is dust dies one day ...
But the names of its heroes
the grateful homeland
will mention to posterity "

Remembrance of Frans-Xaveer HEYVAERT and Jan-Frans DE CLERCK

In handwriting with pencil: "Frans-Xaveer Heyvaert died in Diksmuide on October 23, 1914. His material was never recovered.
Jan-Frans De Clerck was hit by a German shell in the spring offensive
(March 17, 1918) "

J-Fr. De Clerck was a soldier with the 4th hunters on foot, he died in Merckem and was buried in the military cemetery of West-Vleteren.

Memento fallen soldiers

Large frame with at the top: "1914 - 1918
Grateful Tribute to our Heroes "
In between a medallion depicting King Albert I.

Below that we see 14 rows with 12 photo medallions of fallen soldiers.
Below each photo is the name with the place and date of death below.
At the very bottom are 5 more rows with names, without photo.

Memento T Land van Riem Aalst.

"'T Land van Riem Aalst
Grateful Tribute
to our brave
1914 1918 "

Frame with medallions with photo with the name below:
Large medallion in the center:
"French TOLLENAERE
Killed on 28th harvest 1917 "

The other names per row, from left to right:
Theofiel Praet - Gustaaf Van Nuffel - Frans Thybaert - Jozef Perdaens
Lodewijk Mertens - Jozef Van Lierde
Frans Jacobs - Kamiel De Smet
Frans Clotman - Frans Rombaut
Alfred De Smet - Jan Van De Velde
Frans Van de Kerckhove - Albrecht Van Kerckhove - Gustaaf Van Mossevelde

Memento: "Tribute to our Heroes"

In the top left corner a medallion depicting Elisabeth, Queen Nurse and Albert I, Knight King in the First World War.

Below that 4 rows of 10 photo medallions, at the top of the year of death, at the bottom of the name. Over the years, a number of photos have disappeared, but the handwritten names and dates have remained clearly legible.

First row: De Cock Emiel - De Neef Jan - Maes Adolf - Medaerts Petrus - Persoons Julius - Poleyn Kamiel - Roelandt Theofiel - Rogiers Romaan - Walgraef Benedictus - Bockstael Lodewijk

Second row: Empty Jan B. - Podevijn Jan B. - Van Mol Lodewijk - Bauwens Hendrik -
De Smet Philip - Camu Romaan - De Smedt Alfons - Gysens Leo - Keymeulen Valery - Merckx August

Third row: Tollenaere Frans - Tolleneer Valentijn - Van Den Berghe… -… Valery -
Boeykens Alfons - Camu Benedikt - De Petter Polydoor - Huylebroeck Jan-B. -
Kieckens Frans - Michiels Renatus

Fourth row: Phlips Frans - Schelck August -… Theodoor - Van Cauter August - Van Vaerenbergh Rene - Verhulst Leopold - Willem Alfons - De Bruyn Alexander -
De Sadeleer Jozef - De Vleeschouwer Gustaaf

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Source

• Text: Marie-Christine Vinck
• Photos: Marie-Christine Vinck