Donations in the showcase

Alex Jacobs
(BE)

Maurice François, Alex's great-grandfather died in an explosion at a munitions factory in Gonfreville-L'Orcher near Le Havre on 11 December 1915. The picture in the embroidery shows Maurice and 3 (unknown) servicemen.

Anselma Everaert
(BE)

Basiel Everaert, Ans' father married Louisa Diver in 1940. Louisa's parents fled to Doncaster in England during World War I and brought several pieces of propaganda porcelain home.

Kurt Vandewalle
(BE)

Watercolour by Waalko Jans Dingemans (1873-1925). "Boesinghe, 1916".

Kris Van Mileghem
(BE)

Kris' great uncle took this propeller tip from a German airfield between Bollebeek and Asse. The print "Niendorf Luckenwalde" refers to the piano factory near Berlin of the Niendorf brothers in Luckenwalde, who switched production during the war.

Micheline Ploumen
(BE)

Micheline kept the memory of her father René Ploumen and his wartime experiences very much alive. Documentary filmmaker Yvon Lammens walked in her footsteps and captured her quest in a moving film.

Jan en Peter Bodequin
(BE)

Cyclist Maurice Vanden Hende more than likely carried the metal case with statue of the Virgin Mary as an amulet. He would have received or bought the ring from a fellow soldier who collected fragments of the bells that were shot out of the belfry tower in Ypres. He melted all kinds of objects after the war.

M. Bos-Smit
(NL)

A souvenir handkerchief with text "in memory of the loving reception of the Belgian people, 9 October 1914 in the Netherlands."

Lydia Bracke
(BE)

Eduard Vermeulen, Lydia's grandfather, made a remarkable box, medallion and brooch in the prisoner-of-war camp of Celle in Germany. In the medallion, he engraved a portrait of himself and his wife Mietje (Maria).

Brian C. Fawcett
(UK)

Shell cases with Chinese motifs.

Mark Danley
(UK)

Corporal Thomas Frederick Robbins found the Christ statue in the ruins of Ypres. Soldiers passing through or staying temporarily in the destroyed Ypres often picked up religious objects and kept them as talismans.

Pieter Verstraete
(BE)

Commemorative medal of the Work of the Warblind for August Dewit. The work of the Warblind was an initiative of Queen Elisabeth.

Marc De Brabandere
(BE)

Leather case for a compass with the inscription "A. Wood".

fam. Van Dijck
(BE)

Ludovicus van Dijck served with the Vesting artillery, his brother Lodewijk with the Heavy Artillery and the Railway Battalion. Ludovicus played the homemade bumblebee.

fam. Handley-Vandecasteele
(BE)

Caroline’s grandmother Ida Decorte from Elverdinge had fled with her family to Cambron near Abbeville (Fr) during the First World War. Nurse Ida was spoilt with cards and gifts by her patients at the local hospital.

Ermelinda Van Tongerloo
(BE)

Ermelinda kept the unique lottery ticket of her grandfather Pierre De Sutter. He corresponded during the war with Emilie Dekker, who also smuggled letters and photographs to Pierre's family. She remained a source of support and encouragement for Pierre after the war. His sister died of Spanish flu and he struggled to find work. This unique bond lasted for 50 years.

Saidja Steenhuyzen
(BE)

Arthur Wuyts from Koningshooikt, Saidja's great-grandfather was wounded and deported for care to Britain. After the war, he brought home a gramophone and some shellac records.