Unaccounted airmen, Belgian Air Force, 10/05/1940

[Alexander]

Hallo,
here are a some informations:
1) Soldier Lenders Denis (Dionysius Ludovicus), 257/4487, badly wounded during the bombing of Gossoncourt and died in the Sint-Jansgasthuis of Tirlemont on the 10 of May 1940. First buried in Tirlemont and transfered on 12 of June 1944 to Zichem cemetery, 2 Regt Aé. Mil, Anti-aircraft artillery, born in Zichem on 18 of June 1914
2) Soldier Jacquemin Léon Adolphe Ghislain, 223/6245, badly wounded during the bombing of Gossoncourt and died in the Sint-Jansgasthuis of Tirlemont on the 10 of May 1940. First buried at Tirlemont and exhumed on 27 of May 1940 and transferd to Orp-le-Grand cemetery, 2 Regt Aé. Mil., Anti-aircraft battery, born in Orp-le-Grand on 11 of July 1912
3) Cpl Seynave Réné, 257/5307, killed during the bombing of Gossoncourt (was driving with a firetruck to the bombzone when a bomb explosed near the truck) on the 10 of May 1940, first buried at Tirlemont and later transfered to Kortrijk cemetery on 08 of july 1947, born in Menen on 28 of january 1916. Married on the 04 of May 1940 and joined his unit after a leave on the 09 of May 1940! 7/IV/1 Regt Aé. Mil.

Sources: military archives of Evere, Brussels

Greetings from Belgium,

Alexander

[Alexander]

Hallo,
here are a some informations:
1) Soldier Lenders Denis (Dionysius Ludovicus), 257/4487, badly wounded during the bombing of Gossoncourt and died in the Sint-Jansgasthuis of Tirlemont on the 10 of May 1940. First buried in Tirlemont and transfered on 12 of June 1944 to Zichem cemetery, 2 Regt Aé. Mil, Anti-aircraft artillery, born in Zichem on 18 of June 1914
2) Soldier Jacquemin Léon Adolphe Ghislain, 223/6245, badly wounded during the bombing of Gossoncourt and died in the Sint-Jansgasthuis of Tirlemont on the 10 of May 1940. First buried at Tirlemont and exhumed on 27 of May 1940 and transferd to Orp-le-Grand cemetery, 2 Regt Aé. Mil., Anti-aircraft battery, born in Orp-le-Grand on 11 of July 1912
3) Cpl Seynave Réné, 257/5307, killed during the bombing of Gossoncourt (was driving with a firetruck to the bombzone when a bomb explosed near the truck) on the 10 of May 1940, first buried at Tirlemont and later transfered to Kortrijk cemetery on 08 of july 1947, born in Menen on 28 of january 1916. Married on the 04 of May 1940 and joined his unit after a leave on the 09 of May 1940!

Sources: military archives of Evere, Brussels

Greetings from Belgium,

Alexander

[B.F.M. Droog]

Thanks Henk and Alexander,

This is of great help! Yet, what Alexander wrote raises more questions. It seems that the Belgian anti aircraft artillery was manned by air force personnel - or at least the batteries at airfields. Was this also the case in France, The Netherlands and with the Commonwealth Forces?

Regards,

Bart

[Alexander]

Hallo Bart,

Forgot the next details yesterday:

1) Soldier Brebart Henry, 127/86957, wounded during the bombing of Gossoncourt (Goetsenhoven) and died of his wounds at Louvain (Leuven) on the 12 of May 1940, born in Willemeau on 01 of May 1918, first buried at Louvain (Leuven) and later transferred to Evere cemetery, Pilot School Gossoncourt (Goetsenhoven), I/4 Squadron
2) Soldier Van Roelen Joseph Maurice, 257/5714, died during the bombing of Gossoncourt, was a sentinel of the main entrance when he was hit, born in Molenbeek-Wersbeek on the 10 of August 1917 and buried at Tirlemont (Tienen), 1 Regt Aé. Mil.

The AA artillery was manned by air force personal for the airfields Gossoncourt (Goetsenhoven) and Neerhespen. Don’t know for the others. Have to check this.
1 pilot died at Neerhespen:

Capt. René Dethier, 34029, born at Angleur on 04 of April 1914, first buried at Schaerbeek and transfered to Evere in 1948 (Have to check the archives for the first burial place. Schaerbeek (Brussels) seems fare away from Neerhespen!). Capt René Dethier was found in his plane 2 hours after the bombardment by 3 members of the AA artillery of 3 Regt Aé. Mil. He got hit in his abdomen by a bomb fragment.

Sources: military archives and intervieuw of survivor AA artillery of 3 Regt Aé. Mil. (one of the 3 who found Dethier)

Greetings from Belgium

Alexander

[B.F.M. Droog]

Hello Alexander,

Thanks! It will take some time before I can put all this information on Belgian Air Force Losses May 1940 - but I hope to be able to do it in the near future.

Regards,

Bart