Belgian Military Cemetery Willemstad

The Belgian tribute cemetery in Willemstad (Moerdijk) accommodates the graves of 159 Belgian soldiers. On the honourfield there is an abstract memorial stone made out of concrete. The memorialstone is 1 meter high, 3 meter wide and 3 meter deep. On the memorial stone there are the names of 159 Belgian soldiers.

The Belgian tribute cemetery reminds the citizens of Willemstad (Moerdijk) of the 200 Belgian soldiers who died when their ship close to Willemstad ran into a mine.
The cemetery was initiated on the 14th of April 1950 and officialy opened on the 29th of May 1950. In 1963 they added two memorial stones to the monument.

Underneath the cross on the left is mentioned:
HERE LAY TO REST 134 BELGIANS
fallen for their fatherland and ours
30 may 1940

On the right side underneath the cross is the same text written in the French language:
Ici repocent 134 Belges
Morts pour leur patrie et la môtre
30 mai 1940

On the plaque which was placed next to the fence of this restingplace is the following written:
BELGIAN MILITAIRY HONORFIELD 1940

On this spot is the common grave of the 159 Belgian soldiers who died in the Netherlands during World War Two. Most of them were made prisoner of war in the direct surroundings of Gent on the 28th of May 1940 by the German army. There they were transported to Zeeuws - Vlaanderen and from there on they were supposed to be transported with 4 ships into a prisoner of war camp in Germany. They followed the route from the Westerschelde via the channel through Zuid - Beveland and the Oosterschelde to the Hollands Diep.
Close to Willemstad on the 30th of May 1940 the "Rhenus 127" sailed over a German magnetic mine, which made the overpacked ship with 1,200 prisoners explode in the middle. It broke in two and sank. However most of the prisoners managed to save themselves and were able to get rescued and lovely taken care of by the citizens of Willemstad, almost 200 Belgian soldiers still drowned and most of them found their last rest place on this cemetery. Later on a few other Belgian soldiers who died some where else in the Netherlands were also laid to rest here.

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Source

• Text: Ties van der Broek & Ronald Stassen
• Photos: Bureau Funeralia / René ten Dam (1, 2), Peter van Steenbergen (3, 4), Peter Schipper (5)
• Willemstad - Belgisch Erehof op Dodenakkers.nl