Temporary Cemetery Fallen Soldiers Fort Eben-Emael

Next to the main entrance of Fort Eben-Emael was the temporary cemetery for the fallen Belgian soldiers.

During the capture of the fort by German paratroopers on May 10th and 11th, 1940, 25 Belgian soldiers of the R.F.L. (Régiment de Fortresse de Liège) were killed. The fort had its own mortuary where soldiers killed in the fort were temporarily housed during the siege. If the siege lasted too long, the soldiers were placed in barrels filled with chlorinated lime. Besides the fact that the fallen soldiers could not stay long in the mortuary, especially when the number of dead increased and the mortuary became too small, this was also to prevent the outbreak of diseases.

Soldiers also died on and around the fort. Besides a number of soldiers from the fort itself, also some of the nearby stationed Belgian soldiers of the Regiment Grenadiers, who came to the fort's aid.

After the surrender of the fort, the Belgian soldiers killed in and around the fort were buried next to the main entrance.

GILET Emile, age 30, soldier with the Régiment de Fortresse de Liège, killed in the explosion of a hollow charge in attached to one of the inner doors of casemate Maastricht 1. He is buried at the cemetery of Francorchapms.

BRILLE Omer, age 24, sub-lieutenant with the 2nd Régiment Grenadiers, killed in the fighting around the fort. He was buried at the Watermael-Boitsfort cemetery in Brussels.

COROMBELLE Jean, age 24, a brigadere with the Régiment de Fortresse de Liège, was killed in the explosion of a hollow charge in attached to one of the inner doors of kasemate Maastricht 1. He is buried at the "Robermont" cemetery in Bressoux.

Madame LEGROS, and her two children. They died as civilian victims during the fighting and were also buried here.

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Source

• Text: Ed Lewandowski
• Photos: TracesOfWar.com
• https://wardeadregister.be