Liberation Memorial Thorn

The liberation monument reminds the inhabitants of Thorn of the liberation of their municipality on September 25, 1944 by the Belgian Brigade Piron. The grazing stone is placed on the spot where the Belgians entered Thorn.

Brigade Piron was a division composed of Belgians and Luxembourgers, named after the Belgian colonel who commanded it. Like the Dutch Princess Irenebrigade, this Belgian unit had been recruited and trained in England for the battle in mainland Europe. Two months after the Allied invasion, the Belgians disembarked in Normandy and headed straight for the front in the north. Brigade Piron was attached to the 8th British Army. During the forward maneuvers, the Belgians had to reinforce and shield the right flank of the British. From Bree the brigade moved cautiously towards Thorn.

It was made quite difficult for the citizens of Thorn in the last days that the occupier was still present. At every turn, men were ordered to perform 'Schanzarbeit', such as digging trenches. On September 25, 1944, rumor spread in Thorn that the liberators had arrived. A group of people soon gathered at the church. Mayor Spierts was also present with several soldiers next to him. They were Belgian soldiers from the advance unit of the Brigade Piron. They had arrived in some light tracked armored cars. At the request of the liberators, the mayor asked for volunteers to keep an eye on Thorn's surroundings as a kind of observer. Arnold Corbey reported and single-handedly manned a lookout for three hours. After his relief, a Belgian officer asked him if he could point out a safe shortcut to Wessen. He went on patrol and had to crawl through the mud for hundreds of meters flat on his stomach to avoid being shot by the occupying forces. A Belgian lieutenant was seriously injured and would succumb to his injuries a few days later. Corbey was able to give the Brigade Piron some useful tips about the location of the German bunkers and minefields.

The Belgian soldiers had a very difficult task. They had to cover too large an area with their limited manpower to prevent German patrols from sneaking into their lines at night. On October 4, 1944, this almost impossible task even led to conscientious objection. Forty soldiers did not move a foot towards the first line. Only after a pep talk and a conversation with the main troublemakers did Colonel Piron regain control of the group. Just as everyone had returned to their places in the defense system, a grenade exploded. Again everyone was on the tip of their nerves. It later turned out that a cow that had strayed from the yard had repeatedly run into a trip wire to which explosives had been attached.

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Source

• Text: Bert Deelman
• Photos: Bert Deelman
• Nationaal Comité 4 en 5 mei