Memorial 1t World War Fexhe-Slins

In front of the town hall of Fexhe-Slins stands a monument to the three soldiers and three civilians who lost their lives in World War I.

Those commemorated are:

DONNAY Antoine, age 20, born in Fexhe-Slins, soldier in the 11th Artillery Regiment, rapid-fire guns, killed by shrapnel three days before his 21st birthday on March 18, 1918, in Diksmuide.

PETITQUEUX Frederick, age 24, from Fexhe-Slins, sergeant in the 13th Line Regiment, died on October 2, 1918, in the hospital in Vinkem, from injuries sustained from shrapnel and a skull fracture.

THONNARD Adolphe, age 20, from Fexhe-Slins, soldier in the 12th Line Regiment, missing in action during the fierce fighting at Queue-du-Bois since August 5, 1914 (the second day of the war for Belgium).

Civilians;

JAMAR J., father and son

PETITJEAN Albert


Atlas V

This monument also commemorates the five residents who, on board the tugboat ‘Altlas V’, managed to escape from the Port of Liège via the Meuse to Eijsden (the Netherlands) during the night of January 3 to 4, 1917. There were 103 refugees on board, including the five residents of Fexhe-Slins.

The aim of the five residents was to rejoin the Belgian army, which was stationed behind the Yser in western Belgium, via the neutral Netherlands. In particular, they wanted to rejoin DARCIS Michel, age 27, who was already at the front.

It concerned

DARCIS Alexandre, age 21, survived the war and is buried in the cemetery of honor at Fexhe-Slins, where his grave commemorates his escape with the “Atlas V.” He lived to be 81 years old.

DARCIS Antoine, age 20, survived the war, no further details known.

DARCIS Edouard, age 24, survived the war, no further details known.

DARCIS Pierre, age 26, survived the war, no further details known.

DONNAY Antoine, age 19 (at the picture on the monument), born in Fexhe-Slins, soldier in the 11th Artillery Regiment, rapid-fire cannons, killed in action three days before his 21st birthday on March 18, 1918, in Diksmuide by shrapnel. Fourteen months after escaping from occupied territory via Eijsden, he was killed at the front.

HENTJENS Jules, age 38, captain of the tugboat, survived the war, died in 1938 at the age of 55.


DARCIS Michel, age 27, was already at the front on the Yser when the 5 other inhabitants of Fexhe-Slins tried to join him, survived the war, no further details known.

In the Port of Liège, a monument has been erected in honor of this heroic escape, commemorating the crossing of the 103 refugees. Praise is given to the men who were thus able to reinforce the Belgian army at the Yser. An information board has also been erected in Eijsden to commemorate the arrival of the refugees.

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Source

• Text: Ed Lewandowski
• Photos: Ed Lewandowski
• wardeadregister.be