Belgian War Graves Zelzate

There is a small place of honour:
"Field of Honor
from in Zelzate
fallen soldiers.
May 1940"

Heavy fighting took place in Zelzate at the beginning of the Second World War.
In the late evening of May 22, 1940, the Second Regiment of Gidsen arrived on the left bank of the Ghent-Terneuzen canal in Zelzate to take a position against advancing German troops. They wanted to cross the canal in rubber boats.
The bridge in Zelzate had been blown up by the Belgian army a few days earlier.
It was an unequal battle and the Guides suffered heavy losses during this Battle of Zelzate. That night the municipality was bombarded by German bombers, cannons, grenades and machine guns. A good day later, at 9:35 p.m. on May 23, the battle was given up and the order to withdraw was given, but the human toll was heavy.

HARLAGE, 37th Line Regiment
EVRARD Emile Toussaint, 37th Line Regiment
CORTJENS Leon Henri Mathieu, 14th Line Regiment
SCHROYEN Mathijs, 2nd Regiment Guides
VANDENBERGHE Frans, 2nd Regiment Guides
DEVOS Gustaf, 37th Line Regiment

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Source

• Text: Luc Van Waeyenberge
• Photos: Luc Van Waeyenberge