Memorial Berneau

First World War (1914-1918)

Belgium Liège Berneau (Dalhem)

This stêle is to replace the original which was unfortunately broken into pieces.

The victims of Berneau from the 1st World War are commemorated at this site. Berneau (Berne) was one of the villages most affected in the first Worldwar, as was Mouland (Moelingen) for example, because it was on the path of the German advance through the town of Visé (Wezet) to Liège. Through Visé, they wanted to attack the city of Liège with a circumferential movement. At this time, the German army passed through the villages of Berneau and Mouland, among others, in order to attack Liège across the other side of the river Meuse. Both villages were therefore in the advance route of the German Meuse army and were almost completely destroyed. They are known as marter villages.

In Berneau, as the stêle indicates, 10 men and 1 woman were executed or hanged and 72 houses burned.

The 11 executed or hanged are commemorated separately on the stêle including the mayor of Berneau;

BRUYERE Walthère, age 78, he was the mayor of Berneau from 1872 to 1914. He was captured and later on in 1915 shot without trial in a meadow in the small village of Moelingen. His body was recovered in March 1915. He is honored separately at the monument "Aux Morts" a few meters from the cemetery. See photo 5.

ANDRIEN Louise
CLAESSENS Emile, age 24, died Aug. 7, 1914
CLAESSENS Joseph, age 17, died August 5, 1914
CLAESSENS Mathieu, 54 years, died August 5, 1914

Father and sons Claessens are buried in the cemetery near the church. See photo 2.

GLAUDE François
GRENSON Hyacinthe
KEMPENAERS Hubert
LEGRAND François, 49 years (hanged at Moelingen on August 7th 1914)
TOSSINGS Jean
TYCHON Jospeph, 70 years (hanged at Moelingen on August 7th ore 8th 1914))

Legrand and Tychon were probably fleeing to Holland, but were captured on the their way to the village of Mesch (NL).

On the field of honor died;

RADERMACKERS Henri, (died 14-9-2014, at Boortmeerbeek, soldier with the 14th lineregiment. His final resting place is in the military cemetery of Veltem-Beisem) gave A-45.)

Died of injuries/illnesses;

FAYON Victor, corporal (age 22, died in France on May 21th 1917. His final resting place is at Liège Cemetery, Sainte-Walburge. See photo 4. On the tombstone is the abbreviation V.D.G. which means Volontaire de Guerre, war volunteer. Furthermore, Centre d'Instruction 3e D.A. (Division d'Armée), training center of the 3rd Army Division.

Soldier with unknown fate

THUNISSEN Joseph, (28 years, died on Aug. 5, 1914 but the body was not recovered after the acts of war, soldier with the 12th Line Regiment).
He is commemorated on a grave monument in the cemetery near the church. See photo 3.

Another source indicates that he would have been buried in municipal cemetery of Herstal-Rhée at Herstal. Further research in this cemetery will have to reveal whether this soldier is involved.

The 11 fallen are also commemorated at the nearby monumentto the victims of the 1st World War.