Trying to Locate where my Relative served in Belgium

Now we know what "Perelkock" was, it all makes sense. In my searches on the 'net, I have found many references to Peselhoek particularly with troops "entraining" there. Since my Great Grandfather was in the 59th Railway Broad Gauge Op Coy, it all makes sense.

Interesting enough, I also found reference to a German aerodrome in the area (oder soll ich sagen; es gibt vielleicht einen Flugplatz in der Naehe.) Anyone know what that was??

The royal residence still has me stumped. It must be within a day's walk of this airfield he visited since he and three mates did it on the same day (during the war, they're taking day trips !!!).

You guys are tops.
Lynda

[Regulus]

Glad we could help you.

If you go to : http://www.debron.be/kleine_historische_elementen.htm

and scroll as good as all the way down you will find a picture of a tower, which is the former controltower of the Flugplatz Poperinge/Peselhoek during WW II. So nothing to do with WW I...

Best from Johan

[Regulus]

BTW, if you would like to see the area from the air, go to the thread West-Flanders from the air. If you choose the street, choose Pezelhoekstraat, so with a Z not an S...

Best from Johan

[duckman]

Lynda,

I was browsing through an old Baedecker Travel Guide on the weekend (god, what an exciting life!) and noticed that King Albert resided at De Panne during the war, while the govt proper was based in Le Havre.

De Panne is a fine beach about 20 km's NW of Poperinghe / Pezelhoek, so would be within reach on a day trip. I haven't found exactly where, but Google returns 3500+ hits on "de Panne"+Albert. Have a troll through them and your bound to find the actual address.

I couldn't find any reference to a palace / country estate etc in West Flanders that thr Royal family might have owned, so I'm assuming Albert's HQ in De Panne is what he is talking about.

regards

Duckman

[duckman]

A little more news:

Some duplicates Regulus' post - which I didn't notice until just now.

This from First World War.com

Sometime between 14/8/14 and 18/8/14: The 3rd Division were held in reserve at Wulpen, on the Nieuwpoort-Veurne canal. GHQ and King Albert had taken up residence in Veurne, the regional capital of the intensively farmed area of the northern border with France, known for centuries as the Veurne-Ambacht.

Veurne is also referred to as "Furnes" and is near De Panne.

Later (from the same site): On the 21st, King Albert moved GHQ to La Panne, where it was to stay until the last days of the war.

The same site (in a biog of Albert) says : ...forcing Albert I to move the Belgian government to Le Havre from where he continued to govern his nation (although he himself continued to live in Belgium, firstly in De Panne and then in Kasteel De Moeren).

I don't speak Dutch, and, well, neither does Babelfish. There are two sites I found that might be good for you, A biog of Albert and A history of hotels in De Panne.

Babelfish does lots of languages well, but Dutch isn't one of them. Here is the mangled translation of the second site.

Villa "Albert ier" stood on the sea dike, beside the pavilion Bortier. The villa was built in 1911, baron Adile mulle for the Schueren, married with Louis-Marie Calùmeyn. During w In our opinion, here the general staff of the Belgian army stayed, as well as the guests of high rank. At the end of w o II, the villa in fire was put by the bezetter.

Villa"Paul Maskens" stood beside the villa "Albert ier"
Owner: Paul Maskens, zoon of Elise Calmeyn and Charles Maskens. He had married with Madeleine Mourlon. During w In our opinion, the royal family in this villa lived, without some comfort. In July 1917 the panne part of the English sector became, English the army came himself establish in the municipality. The royal family took then its residence in the castle "Ste-Flora" in wrecks. A lot artists were received on the villa: type-setter Saint-Saens, art painter Emile Claus, writer Emile Verhaeren.

So your relative almost certainly stopped at the Villa Maskens. It would seem that it no longer stands, but was the "westernmost house in Belgium" so I presume it was right at the end of the beachfront strip.

Perhaps Johan can step in here...

[Regulus]

Thanks !

Not that much to add in fact. The Villa Maskens was about one kilometer from the French border, and as far as I can find there were indeed only one or two houses after the villa.

On the market place at Veurne there was also for some time the Big HQ, which meant that this was the HQ of king Albert I from where he ordered the Belgians army, while the government was at Sainte Adresse, Le Havre in a large hotel as mentioned by Duckman. It is also possible that he saw this medieval building, which made and still makes quite an impression. It is and was the City Hall, see :

http://www.belgiumview.com/belgiumview/tl1/view0001890.php4

It is very well possible that the aerodrome referred to may have been the Belgian one at Houthem. However there were also British aerodromes at Poperinge and Veurne ! So we have 3 possibilities here remaining...

Curious thing is that there has been written so much on British aces, but nothing at all or almost nothing on these aerodromes !

Best from Johan

[Regulus]

Been thinking a bit deeper on the matter. Poperinge aerodrome, in fact Abeele, is more to the south, which would make the trip on one and the same day at least about 8 or 9 kilometers longer. So I think we can eliminate that one.

Best from Johan

[duckman]

So I think we can eliminate that one.

I don't think we can Johan,

If he went from 20 km's from Pezelhoek to Veurne / De Panne and back in a day, he must have had some sort of transport. I'm proud of the record of Australian servicemen in WWI, but even I wouldn't claim that one would hoof it 40 kilometres in a day for a sightseeing trip (especially to a beach - we've got some pretty good ones in Oz ).

But then, if not walking, he must have had wheels, and he could have got to just about anywhere in West Flanders and back in the day.

Wheels, wheels...could be anything from a "borrowed" motobike to bumming a lift on a transport truck. I wonder where the railway lines from Poperinghe run - to the ports obviously, but is / was there a line to De Panne?

[Regulus]

Hi,

Checked some cards etc. There was a railway going from Diksmuide towards Veurne, and one from Ieper towards Poperinge and from Popering probably running into France, nothing towards the coast as far as I know. Don't forget bikes as a meaning of transportation, which were still rather easily to obtain. The old railwayline from Diksmuide to Nieuwpoort was the frontline and the border of the grounds that were set underwater between the Yser river and the railway, so this one can also be forgotten. Concerning roads towards the coast, they already had the possibility of taking so many that it is indeed impossible to eliminate anything with a 100 % certitude.

BTW don't underestimate your countrymen I've seen some of them walking 4 x 30 km's in 4 days at the 4 Days of the Yser, a memorial walk for WW I, organised by my former army unit.

Best from Johan

[duckman]

Originally Posted by Regulus

Don't forget bikes as a meaning of transportation, which were still rather easily to obtain.

*Slaps forehead* Of course. With a pushie, one could get to anywhere in the day. Good cycling country you've got there Regulus.

BTW don't underestimate your countrymen I've seen some of them walking 4 x 30 km's in 4 days at the 4 Days of the Yser, a memorial walk for WW I, organised by my former army unit.

Yes... we call them "nutcases".

Actually, that sounds really cool. When is it held? I've half a mind* to take part, although, I think I'd rather do it by bicycle myself (see above).

So, where were we?

He was based at Pezelhoek, went to the Villa Maskens in De Panne to see the Kings house, and visited an unknown airfield.

Is the airfield the only mystery left?

Duckman

*This is the minimum amount required in law