Belgian War Graves Saint-Hadelin

The Saint-Hadelin cemetery contains the collective grave of 57 civilian casualties from Olne, Saint-Hadelin, Riessonsart and les Heids.

They were all killed on Aug. 6, 1914, the 2nd day of the war for Belgium, when the Germans sought to bypass the heavily defended Maginot Line (France) through Belgium. However, Fort Fleron fiercely defended itself against the Germans and slowed their advance.

Germany thought they could overrun Belgium on their campaign to France without too much resistance. They were wrong. Belgium defended itself with pride and without fear.

It is well known that the Germans would fiercely eliminate any resistance as they passed through. Insurgent civilians, who shot at passing troops, so called franc-tireurs, in worst case were shot, and their houses set on fire. Anything that delayed the passage to France (Germany was following the 'von Schlieffen plan' to attack the weakly defended northern side of France through Belgium, which demanded a meticulous timetable), was crushed with brute force. France had to be defeated before Russia had mobilized its army and Germany would be in a two-front war.

One of the memorial stones around the monument recalls 4 children of one family resting in the grave (photo 3).

To my 4 beloved children and my beloved husband, father and brother.

The stone on the grave also bears several names mentioned on the Monument of Olne. The monument at Vieux-Sart also commemorates this tragedy.

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