26 April 2016 - Tuesday morning,
Bob walked down the stairs and I took the elevator
we had breakfast.
green tea
Belgian waffles
Our room was on the water side, so we could see the ducks swimming around the edges of the marshland. We saw ducks, and a swan and also some birds I have tentatively identified as coots. It was very cold and somewhat windy, but the birds seemed to be going about their business as usual.
We were docked right in town
Town from the dock
and were scheduled to hear an organ recital but Bob was needing to stay close to the bathroom so I decided to go to Willemstad on my own. I just wanted to take some pictures. I could see a windmill from our cabin,
Windmill from the ship (over the marina)
and it appeared to be a sunny day (although it was cold)
Sign at the entrance to the port
There was a Belgian Cemetery listed on the map and since that was close to the ship, Bob went and took pictures there,
Gate Belgian War Cemetery
The Belgian tribute cemetery in Willemstad (Moerdijk) contains the graves of 159 Belgian soldiers. There is a concrete memorial which is 1 meter high, 3 meter wide and 3 meter deep with the names of 159 Belgian soldiers. The cemetery was dedicated on the 14th of April 1950 and officially opened on the 29th of May 1950.
On the sign which was placed next to the fence is a sign which says (loosely translated)
BELGIAN MILITARY CEMETERY 1940
On this spot is the common grave of the 159 Belgian soldiers who died in the Netherlands during World War Two. Most of them were captured near Gent on the 28th of May 1940 by the German army. They were transported in four ships to a prisoner of war camp in Germany. The ships followed the route from the Westerschelde via the channel through Zuid - Beveland and the Oosterschelde to the Hollands Diep. Close to Willemstad on the 30th of May 1940, one of the ships, the "Rhenus 127" sailed over a German magnetic mine, which made the overloaded ship with 1,200 prisoners explode in the middle. It broke in two and sank. Most of the prisoners were rescued and were cared for by the citizens of Willemstad. But almost 200 Belgian soldiers drowned. Most of them found their last resting place in this cemetery. Later on a few other Belgian soldiers who died elsewhere in the Netherlands were also laid to rest here
Sign in two languages
The side with the inscription in French
The side with the inscription in Dutch which says HERE LIES 134 BELGIANS fallen for their fatherland and ours 30 may 1940
In 1963 they added two memorial stones to the monument.
One of the two extra grave markers
Bob walked down the stairs and I took the elevator
we had breakfast.
green tea
Belgian waffles
Our room was on the water side, so we could see the ducks swimming around the edges of the marshland. We saw ducks, and a swan and also some birds I have tentatively identified as coots. It was very cold and somewhat windy, but the birds seemed to be going about their business as usual.
We were docked right in town
Town from the dock
and were scheduled to hear an organ recital but Bob was needing to stay close to the bathroom so I decided to go to Willemstad on my own. I just wanted to take some pictures. I could see a windmill from our cabin,
Windmill from the ship (over the marina)
and it appeared to be a sunny day (although it was cold)
Sign at the entrance to the port
There was a Belgian Cemetery listed on the map and since that was close to the ship, Bob went and took pictures there,
Gate Belgian War Cemetery
The Belgian tribute cemetery in Willemstad (Moerdijk) contains the graves of 159 Belgian soldiers. There is a concrete memorial which is 1 meter high, 3 meter wide and 3 meter deep with the names of 159 Belgian soldiers. The cemetery was dedicated on the 14th of April 1950 and officially opened on the 29th of May 1950.
On the sign which was placed next to the fence is a sign which says (loosely translated)
BELGIAN MILITARY CEMETERY 1940
On this spot is the common grave of the 159 Belgian soldiers who died in the Netherlands during World War Two. Most of them were captured near Gent on the 28th of May 1940 by the German army. They were transported in four ships to a prisoner of war camp in Germany. The ships followed the route from the Westerschelde via the channel through Zuid - Beveland and the Oosterschelde to the Hollands Diep. Close to Willemstad on the 30th of May 1940, one of the ships, the "Rhenus 127" sailed over a German magnetic mine, which made the overloaded ship with 1,200 prisoners explode in the middle. It broke in two and sank. Most of the prisoners were rescued and were cared for by the citizens of Willemstad. But almost 200 Belgian soldiers drowned. Most of them found their last resting place in this cemetery. Later on a few other Belgian soldiers who died elsewhere in the Netherlands were also laid to rest here
Sign in two languages
The side with the inscription in French
The side with the inscription in Dutch which says HERE LIES 134 BELGIANS fallen for their fatherland and ours 30 may 1940
In 1963 they added two memorial stones to the monument.
One of the two extra grave markers
- Next entry in the series 'Go to Amsterdam First (1950, 1965, 2009, 2016, 2018, 2022)': The Fort Town of Willemstad - 2016
- Previous entry in the series 'Go to Amsterdam First (1950, 1965, 2009, 2016, 2018, 2022)': Spending the Day at the Dock in Terneuzen 2016
