War Memorial Esneux

Rue du Monument, 4130 Esneux

Belgium Liège Esneux

This monument commemorates the fallen soldiers and veterans of Esneux from the First and Second World Wars.

During World War I, 15 soldiers did not return from the battlefield and the trenches.

BOHON Camille, age 21, soldier with the 4th regiment Chasseurs (hunters), died from the effects of shrapnel at Kaaskerke (West Flanders) on August 14th, 1915.

CARA Auguste, age 25, war volunteer, decorated with the medal Knight in de order of Léopold II with palmleaves, medal Warcross with palmleaves, sergeant with the 4th regiment Chasseurs (hunters), died from the consequences of shrapnel at Kaaskerke (West Flanders) on January 18th, 1918.

CHARPENTIER Jean, age 24, soldier with the 6th lineregiment, killed October 21st, 1914 at Lombardsijde (West Flanders), missing evers since or resting in an unknown grave.

CHENOT Emile, age 28, soldier with the artillery of the forts of Liege, died April 1st, 1919 at Diest (Flemish Brabant) due to an accident (fell under a train), missing ever since or resting in an unknown grave. Note: On April 1st, 1919, there is still no final peace treaty. The armistice of Nov. 11th, 1918, was not ratified into an official end to the war until June 28th, 1919, with the Treaty of Versailles.

COUNE Felix, age 26, war volunteer, soldier with TASI (stretcher bearer), died of illness at King Albert's hospital No. 3 in London on October 19th, 1918.

CREPIN Robert, age 25, soldier with the 15th artillery regiment, died of probably Spanish flu combined with pneumonia on September 20, 1918 at Cabour hospital in Adinkerke (West Flanders).

GERADON de Georges, age 21, war volunteer, soldier with the 1st heavy artillery regiment, killed by shrapnel on March 18th, 1918 at Pervijze (West Flanders).

DEMOULIN Charles, age 20, soldier with the 3rd division, fallen at Le Mans (F) on March 27th, 1915.

DORY Armand, age 27, corporal with the artillery of the forts of Liege, died while interned in the military hospital at The Hague, Netherlands, on August 30th, 1917 of pulmonary tuberculosis. Soldiers (both Belgian, German, French and British) who to escape the enemy, or deserted, and crossed the border into the Netherlands were interned. The Netherlands thus maintained its complete neutrality.

GARSOU A (Hubert), age 26, soldier with the 1st Regiment Carabiniers , died on April 29th, 1915 at Instituut Sint Thomas in Leuven from wounds received on September 12th, 1914.

LOMBA Edouard, age 25, corporal with the 24th line regiment, killed by a shot in the head on September 28th, 1918 in the woods near Houthulst.

TASSIN Leopold Jean, age 29, soldier with the artillery at Fort Embourg (Liège), died of contracted disease in a barrack at Münster (D) on May 6th, 1915.

TROUPIN Oscar, age 27, soldier with the 14th line regiment, killed by a shot in the head on September 13th, 1915 at Stuivekenskerke (West Flanders).

VOS Omer, 49 years of age !, First Guardsman with the Gendarmerie (Military Police), died July 31st, 1917 from the consequences of contracted disease (paralactic cachexia, emaciation), in the military hospital for psychiatry of Dury (F).

This is possibly what became known during World War I as shellshock, Kriegsneurose, or choque de geurre. Constant months of exposure at the front to death, wounded and dead or decomposing comrades, for hours and even days screeching comrades in the no man's land calling for help after a failed attack, mutilations, wounded and dead or decomposing horses, diseases, little sleep and food, endless battle, the inability to contradict orders, battle gases, stench, and flies could cause soldiers to mentally break down at some point. This could have different effects. From complete hysteria to muteness, tics, self-mutilation and even suicide in the trenches by shooting themselves through the head. Suicide during an attack also occurred by running into the enemy too ostentatiously. In all cases, however, the soldiers were so distressed mentally and physically that they became totally apathetic. In the case of officers, this was usually viewed favorably as a result of combat. For ordinary soldiers, however, this was attributed to character weakness and cowardice !

During World War II, 7 soldiers from Esneux were killed.

FERETTE Henri, age 26, guard with the 1st regiment Lanciers, died in the military hospital No. 44 at Tielt (West Flanders) on May 23rd, 1940 from wounds received in battle.

EVRARD René, age 31, soldier with the Regiment de Fortifiée de Liège, Fort of Battice, killed on May 21st, 1940.

SURSON René, age 35, soldier with the telegraph service at Liège, killed on May 21st, 1940 at Lumbres

HEUSE van de Karel, age 21, soldier with the 12th line regiment, killed May 24th, 1940 at Kuurne (West Flanders).

FAYS Ernest, died after returning from France from an illness contracted while in the servive.

FRANCO Joseph, no further details known.