Panel 12 Mortsel Bombing 5 April 1943

Text on panel 12
April 5, 1943
Bombing of Mortsel

Thunderous sports field [/ i]
What happened here?
The four highest classes of the Lieven Gevaert School had, like every Monday, a sports afternoon on this field. Their school in Deurnestraat was spared, but these boys were in the middle of the bombing. During gymnastics, bombs suddenly fell around the terrified boys. The teachers were able to keep their students calm so that only two were injured.

A student tells [/ i]
"When the first bombs fell, we fled into the wooden stand, but the master called for us to lie down next to the stand. Between two bombs, we quickly ran to the sloping side of the road next to it. the spectacle. We were barely there when the grandstand next to us collapsed, with children from another class in it. Then from the verge I saw the concrete partition wall on the other side of the field go up in its entirety, stay a while float and then, in silence as in a slow motion film, fall down in a cloud of dust with an overwhelming sound. "

One of the injured students testifies [/ i]
In those first moments I lived as if in a dream. Instantly, the nasty roar of the steel birds resounded between them, it was a shower of bombs. Suddenly I felt a blow on my leg. I heard a groan next to me and saw the bloody remains of what had once been Henri's hand. We had no time to think. Several boys were praying out loud. The first attack was over. Some of them wanted to get up, but the teacher shouted, "Down! For God's sake! , stay down! ""

This walk was realized by the city of Mortsel in collaboration with Pieter Serrien.

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Source

• Text: Mia van den Berg
• Photos: Mia van den Berg