Belgian Soldiers Commemorated at Kensal Green

[Myrtle]

I will be revisiting the Roman Catholic cemetery at Kensal Green in the next couple of weeks. While there recently I noticed this rather impressive memorial to Belgian Soldiers and Belgian headstones nearby. If any Belgian Pals would like a close up of any of the stones let me know.

[Myrtle]

The headstones.

[Aurel Sercu]

Hi 'Myrtle',

Thanks for bringing this to my intention, for I must say I did not know about Kensal Green Belgian Cememery and Memorial (can't find the smiley that expresses utter unforgivable shame and extreme embarrassment ;-{{{

Not that I particularly want headstone close-ups, but ...

I've googled for some more info, but didn't find that much. It's a post WW2 Memorial ? How many graves are there? What years expecially ? And a few of WW2 ? (No need to answer this questions right now, later is fine.)

Aurel

[MartinWills]

One of the Friends of Kensal Green Cemetery has done a lot of research into "fallen fliers" buried at Kensal Green (not the RC cemetery which is essentially a different cemetery even though they are joined together. Casualties include losses in training and fliers from the airships at Wormwood Scrubs.

[Myrtle]

Aurel

It is not surprising that you have not heard of this particular memorial as it is situated in a corner of London that is infrequently visited by anyone other than those people visiting the RC cemetery.

It appears that two Belgian soldiers who died at St. Andrew's Hospital, Dollis Hill, North London were buried in the Roman Catholic Cemetery initially and then the plot became a Belgian Military Memorial and cemetery. There are now also a number of graves from WW2. One Belgian soldier, buried in the cemetery, was Andre Marcel Paul Vandekindere who died 28th March 1919 from sickness at the King Albert Hospital London aged 19. A relative of this man has written about him on the Birmingham University virtual war memorial site, as Andre Vandekindere attended the university for one year.

Myrtle

Martin

The other cemetery known as All Souls Kensal Green is a huge area next door and east of the rather large St Mary's Roman Catholic cemetery. I have a number of photographs of the Cross of Sacrifice and inscribed panels in addition to a number of Australian, Canadian and South African CWGC headstones from All Souls KG if anyone is interested in a particular soldier.

[healdav]

Patrick deWolf seems to have disappeared for the moment, but I know that a couple of years ago (which is how I was in contact) he was doing an inventory of WW1 Belgian casualties and looking for people who could check that all the graves were where the records said they were.

I checked off some in Plymouth for him and tried to find a grave in Bath and near Cork. If ound the Plymouth graves without difficulty (although one of his grave references was wrong) but couldn't find the Bath or Cork graves.

I don't know whether he is still doing this (you may remember that he had a CD-ROM of all the casualties), but if he is I'm sure he would be interested.

Someone on this list will be seeing a Belgian colonel next week who may have news of Patrick. His disappearance (doesn't reply to e-mail and his website has not been updated for some time) is mysterious, but maybe news next week.

[Aurel Sercu]

Myrtle,

Thanks for the extra info.

Since my posting I have had a look at CWGC on line with regard to Kensal Green R.C. Cem. It appears to have a "substantial plot" of Belgian men indeed. I had thought that I would find the names in the cem. reports, but (Belgian) nationality is not marked, and I found only one name that sounds Flemish (not Vandekindere.)

Healdav,

I have contacted you off Forum re P.D.

Aurel

[Terry Denham]

Aurel

If you want the Belgian names in this cemetery, just let me know.

[Aurel Sercu]

Terry,

Well, I'm curious of course. But also : I know someone who certainly will be interested (and who has no pc).

If it is not too much trouble ? There are not a huge number ? (CWGCsays : substantial plot.) The list already exists, I hope ? (WW1 will do.)

Aurel

[Guest pvanloij]

I refer to the post on June 15 2005 from Myrtle: "It appears that two Belgian soldiers who died at St. Andrew's Hospital, Dollis Hill, North London were buried in the Roman Catholic Cemetery initially and then the plot became a Belgian Military Memorial and cemetery"

Does anyone know the names of these 2 particular Belgian soldiers ?

My great-great-grandfather Albert Biliau is listed on the memorial (I found list of the buried Belgian soldiers on another site) as having died in October 1914 (no exact date) - 4 other Belgian soldiers are listed as having died in October 1914 with exact dates ranging from 22 to 30 October.

Does anybody have close up photos of the headstones ?

Thanks for all the help.