War Memorial to the Allies Wester Cemetery Gent

In 1922, the City of Ghent organized a competition for a monument to be erected in memory of the fallen Allied soldiers of the First World War.
Sculptor Carl de Cock was awarded the contract. The war memorial was solemnly inaugurated on October 26, 1924 in the presence of King Albert I.
After the Second World War, the date 1940-1945 was also placed on the monument, so that it became a reminder of both world wars.

This white stone monument is located on a roundabout on the border of the old and new part of the Wester cemetery. The construction is strongly symmetrical, the front and rear are almost identical, as are the sides. The differences lie in the effect of the low and high reliefs that decorate the whole.
The central part ends in a kind of gallery.

At the front we see two very large statues, representing allegorical female figures. The one on the left front of the monument wears a Belgian soldier's helmet, she holds her arms crossed in front of her, she holds a sword in her right hand, a scales in her left. She is a symbol of justice.
The woman on the right also wears a helmet with ear flaps, she also holds her arms crossed in front of her. In her hands one sees shackles broken open, symbolizing liberation.
Along the front, on the wall to the left of the central party, soldiers can be seen operating a cannon, followed by soldiers with rifles and a soldier with a trumpet.
It is the infantry of Belgium, visible in the clothing and the shield with lion under the relief. The right relief shows French infantrymen.
Along the back (at the new part of the cemetery) the allegorical figure on the left wears a helmet with a large feather, as do the Italian soldiers (bersaglieri, infantrymen) on the frieze next to it. This lady is holding a torch to the right of her face with both hands, allegory of hope. To her right is the allegory of the sea, because this lady carries the trident in her hands, while a fish and a buoy lie at her feet. To her right is the relief of the British Marines. So here too there is a direct link between the allegorical images of women and the reliefs.
Underneath the reliefs, a shield was placed, representing the country's flag.

The same low relief was applied to the sides of the monument: a frontally depicted, half-naked lady, holding a garland of flowers in front of her lap.

Source: Inventory of immovable heritage - Heritage object city of Ghent

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Source

• Text: Marie-Christine Vinck
• Photos: Marie-Christine Vinck