Hero's walk WWI and WWII Stationsstraat

The Heroes' Walk in Ingelmunster tells the story of several freedom fighters with a striking story from one of the world wars via various locations.
Along the route, which is just over 4 km long, you will stop at nine facades. The memorial plaques always have a QR code with which you can read the extensive stories of all the heroes.

In the Stationsstraat there is a memorial plaque for Ernest and Jacques de Montblanc, the count's family who lived here in the castle from 1825 to 1986. Only a photo of Jacques is shown.

In the brochure "Heroes' Walk WWI and WWII", published by the municipal council of Ingelmunster, Kurt Windels, we find the following information:

"Ernest de Montblanc (1838-1925) received the German occupier on October 14, who immediately requisitioned the castle to house the general staff for the Northern armies. The baron and his family were assigned a few rooms and had to watch the Germans plunder their supplies and wine cellars.
The noble couple did their best to protect the inhabitants by intervening in files and insisting on reduced sentences, often with a favourable result. However, the Germans were not exactly sympathetic towards them. The family was suspected of espionage at the end of 1914 and the baroness was even detained for a while in 1915 for insults. Tired and irritated, the baron left the castle in 1917 to settle in Brussels.

Jacques de Montblanc (1896-1970) had been Baron of Ingelmunster since 1930. During WWI he went to the front as a volunteer.
When the Second World War broke out he was called up to join his unit. He was wounded twice in the fighting. As early as August 1940, he joined the resistance and became the commander for the Secret Army in Ingelmunster. His castle served as a hiding place for English pilots, among others. Pilots were also given shelter by residents. For example, Elza Callens and Emiel Desmet hid an American pilot for 14 days at the beginning of 1944 until he could be safely transferred to England via France and Spain."

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Source

• Text: TracesOfWar
• Photos: Wim Wouters