Calling all Belgians

[Max]

Hello Everyone

I am looking to try to contact the boy in the attached photo. The photograph was taken

in June 1945 in Erpent, Namur. The family shown looked after my Grandfather during the last days

of 1944 , just before his unit went into action in the Ardenne.

They showed him great kindness in very troubling times and I would like to say thankyou on behalf of the rest of my family. The father was

called Antoine and he carved the mini clog (below) for my Grandad. The inscription says "Souvenir D'Erpent 30/12/1944" and

on the other side is his name "Antoine". My Grandfather never forgot these kind people and in June

1945 spent a three day leave with the family after travelling back from Hamburg.

I would like to know what the local newspaper in Erpent or Namur is.

Any help in this long shot would be very gratefully accepted.

Andy

[Max]

A mini clog carved by Antoine

[Max]

Antoine and Sgt Riding 71 ATK, 53rd Welsh Div. June 1945.

[j.r.f]

Max.

Best of luck.Will the forum majic work again ?Please keep us posted.

cheers.

JOHN.

[charlotte cardoen-descamps]

Dear Andy,

If you could forward me all the details you have on the story over the e-mail, I am willing to give it a try on Belgian (Dutch) speaking national radio. There is a programm on Friday morning, in which people can bring forward information on someone they try to trace down. I can not garantuee any success of course but it amazing how good it works. The chances of success are slightly less because of the fact that the family you are looking for lives in the French speaking part of the country. But... you have nothing to loose and it would be great if it could lead to a reunion after so many years!

Charlotte

[BeppoSapone]

Antoine and Sgt Riding 71 ATK, 53rd Welsh Div. June 1945.

Looks to me like this man was a Captain in the Belgian Underground.

Is there an Old Comrades Association?

[Max]

Charlotte

Thankyou very much for your kind offer. Be assured that once I have collected all the available info I will be in touch.

Beppo

Thankyou.

I hadn't really thought about the meaning of the uniform before, seems so obvious now. Can you tell me what identifies the man as a Captain in the underground?

Below is another picture but not such good quality.

Andy

[ianw]

Fascinating story and hopefully a future meeting. Please keep us informed.

[BeppoSapone]

Beppo

Thankyou.

I hadn't really thought about the meaning of the uniform before, seems so obvious now. Can you tell me what identifies the man as a Captain in the underground?

Below is another picture but not such good quality.

Andy

Andy

Take a look at the the triangle composed of three stars, worn on the chest in the French fashion. My reference material is packed away, but IIRC the three stars denote a Captain.

I have an idea that there were several organisations/groups in the Belgian Resistance. The uniforms being worn might help to identify which "lot" these men belonged to. However, as I understand it, people wore whatever was to hand, available or even captured.

I feel sure that there must be records of the Belgian resistance forces somewhere. The fact that the man in question is an officer makes it more likely that some information will have survived.

Maybe some kind Belgian member can point you in the right direction, and that you can come up with something.

Good luck!

[unicorn]

Hi,

Here you have the address of a "local" newspaper in the province Namur.

E-mail : redaction.generale@sudpresse.be

kind Belgian regards

danny

[Bert Heyvaert]

The records of the Belgian resistance are held by the royal army museum's record section in Brussels. As I understood, they are in the process of moving. Anyway, if you do not have a name, I think this pat will not show very helpfull.

More information is at the SOMA ( studiecentrum voor oorlog en hedendaagse maatschappij) in Brussels. The staff (or the regular visitors) there might be able to identify the resistance cell you're looking for and point you towards their association. I'm afraid a visit 'in person' is the only way of getting the info out of them however.

The white uniform does not really mean anything, as all resistance members ( and all would-be resistance members) wore them. My best guess would be that the gentlemen in your picture are members of the 'geheim leger' (secret army) cell. My granduncle used to be an officer in the geheim leger during the war, and I think the insignia I saw on some of his books look quite similar. I'm afraid I wan't be able to check as I'm currently in the UK till june.

The best parh however, is to send an e-mail to a general enquiry officer at Namur ( have a look on www.namur.be, their website is available in English. Ask them to give you the contact adress of the president of the local old-combatants ( resistance members are also considered old-combatants) association, and write him a polite letter in french, explaining him about your research. Only problem is that Namur is quite big, and there will be numerous associations.

If you think your french is not good enough to undertake this, I would be glad to help you out. I'm taking french-lessons as part of my course here in Sheffield and can use some practice.

I will also ask a friend who wrote his dissertation on resistance in the Belgian town of Aalst to have a look at your posting.

Hope this helps,

Bert.

[Max]

Hello Bert and Danny

Thankyou very much for the pointers. I will certainly be following them up.

Bert

Thanks for your very kind offer to translate, if I need help I will bw in touch.

Thanks again

Andy

[BeppoSapone]

Hello Everyone

I am looking to try to contact the boy in the attached photo. The photograph was taken

in June 1945 in Erpent, Namur. The family shown looked after my Grandfather during the last days

of 1944 , just before his unit went into action in the Ardenne.

They showed him great kindness in very troubling times and I would like to say thankyou on behalf of the rest of my family. The father was

called Antoine and he carved the mini clog (below) for my Grandad. The inscription says "Souvenir D'Erpent 30/12/1944" and

on the other side is his name "Antoine". My Grandfather never forgot these kind people and in June

1945 spent a three day leave with the family after travelling back from Hamburg.

I would like to know what the local newspaper in Erpent or Namur is.

Any help in this long shot would be very gratefully accepted.

Andy

Andy

Was there ever a conclusion to this story?

[Max]

Hello Mate

Not yet, but am going to Namur in October, so watch this space.

Andy

[paul guthrie]

This is real good stuff, I sure hope this works out, lots of luck. Good excuse to run thru a lot of mussels too!

[Max]

Good excuse to run thru a lot of mussels too!

Or vice versa

Thanks for that, it should be interesting even if I don't come up with anything concrete.

Andy

[bkristof]

1 big problem is Antoine his real name???

often the resistance used nick names...

sorry to tell this.

[Max]

Hello Kristof

I think that Antoinne is/was his real name. The photos were taken just after the war finished so anonimity would not really have been an issue. Good point though.

Thanks

Andy

[Guest July1]

Max,

In order to help, I will need a little more than a first name.

Do you have anything else than that ? A small notion of an address ?

Anything ?

I suspect the resistance men or from, what would translate in english,

the "white brigades" (de witte brigades voor de Nederlandstalige)

I judge this off course from their coveralls they are wearing.

My grandfather was a resistance bloke himself, not far from Namur, and had

exactly the same type of overalls. They were not exactly white, but more of a stone grey shade. I remember that very well, because his overall used to hang in his shed when I was I kid.

Unfortunately, my grandfather passed away many years ago, and he left us

his armband, and lapel pin (which I cherish very much)

Also I'm living on the other side of country now, I don't really know much about the old resistance men, but I may use some "unofficial" leads !

Just let me know what you have.

MG

[Max]

Hello MG

Unfortunately, all I have are the few photographs that you see (plus one were Antoine and my Grandfather have exchanged uniforms!?!?) and the tiny carved clog that states "Souvenir D'Erpent, 30-12-1944" and on the opposite side is the name Antoine. I know its very little to go on but even the smallest piece of information that you may be able to help me with would be very gratefully received.

Thanks

Andy

[Guest July1]

Max,

I turned my workcomputer inside out at work.

Over the years communities have grown, and most of their registration of inhabitants have become centralised and digitalised.

These records are not public, but due to my profession, and being this for a noble cause, I could have a go at it, but details are unfortunately few for what I had to lookand search for.

Still, I suggest that you make an appeal, like this has been mention before, to a few local newspapers, with photo of the people involved.

Somehow, somebody will react. Wish you luck.

Sorry my attempt was fruitless.

MG

[Max]

Thanks for that MG

I am going over in late September and intend contacting as many people before then as I can. I have enlisted the support of my French Godmother so at least the letters will more than the usual schoolboy Franglais.

Thanks again

Andy