Belgian War Graves Vinkt

On Sunday 26 may 1940, the inferno in Vinkt began. The Germans used the population as human shield because they thought that the civilians where shooting at them. The next day, 27 may in the morning, the Germans killed 3 men in Meigem. Around 15 hours, Vinkt has been felt in hands of the Germans and committed a raid. The elderly where shot near the monastery. And near the parsonage, they shot again some civilian. The same day, there were more incidents. That day, 111 civilian died in the inferno. On the day of the Belgian capitulation, the Germans killed again 9 civilians.

Now, there’s a cemetery with the civilians who died in the days of the inferno. There are also Belgian War Graves.

The plot of honour of the civilian victims contains also Belgian burials of the Second World War. These are the graves of VELAERS Sylvain, Vinkt 25 May 1940; VEREECKE Raoul, Vinkt 25 May 1940; MATHAEY François, Vinkt 26 May 1940; MERTENS Jean, Vinkt 27 May 1940; GOUVERNEUR André, Vinkt 27 May 1940; EDMOND René, Vinkt 28 May 1940.

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Source

• Text: De Roust Jente & Luc Van Waeyenberge
• Photos: Luc van Waeyenberge (1, 3, 4, 5), Jente de Roust (2)
• TAGHON, P., Mei 1940, Lannoo, Tielt, 1990.