War Memorial Rièzes

The war memorial for both world wars is located at the municipal school of Rièzes.

"Rièzes
1914-1918 1940-1945
In memory of the brave
defenders who during
the two great wars
gave their lives
so that Belgium could continue to exist.
Who did it with or without uniform.
The grateful community"

Next to the monument there is also a memorial plaque for the maquisards who had a camp in Rièzes.
This camp was initially located in France at a place called Le Gros Fau - the great beech - halfway between the villages of Rièzes and Beaulieu.
Tents were set up in late 1942 to shelter conscription evaders, and in May 1943 the Independence Front built three wooden barracks, covered with tarpaulins, grass and ferns. At the end of that year there were 30 Russians, who had escaped from the coal mines of the black country (region of Charleroi) where they had advanced, and about fifteen Allied airmen.
From January 1944, Hotton's Group D defended the Gros Fau camp.
In the early morning of February 25, 1944, Rièzes was surrounded by numerous German troops who searched the houses for maquisards or traces of assistance to them. The intention was to invade the camp of the maquisards.
A number of residents in the village were killed or arrested during that raid.
Men and young men were taken to the boys' school for checks, 45 residents were taken in two trucks to a camp in Casteau and then to the prison of Sint-Gillis (Brussels). Most were later released, but five people were transferred to Germany. Among them were two grassland farmers, in whose house two American pilots were arrested.
There were also arrests in the surrounding villages.
(Wikipedia)

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Source

• Text: Traces of War
• Photos: Marie-Christine Vinck