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Attention: the War Dead Register only lists Belgian fallen soldiers.  
The War Dead Register provides basic personal information (name, first name, date and place of birth, etc.) and does not contain military files (giving a complete overview of the military career). According to date of birth the files are kept either by the Royal Military Museum or by the Defence archives service. The files safeguarded at the Military Museum can be consulted on site (Parc du Cinquantenaire in Brussels). The files kept up till now by Defence are currently transferred to the General State Archives.
The date on which they will be once again available has not yet been determined.   

 

Archives of the Royal Military Museum 

Documentation Centre 
Parc du Cinquantenaire 3
1000 Brussels
E-mail : cdoc.klm-mra@warheritage.be   
Website: www.warheritage.be

Cemetery details

Where?
Kerkstraat, 9060 Zelzate
 
View on map

History

On 23 May 1940, during the Battle of Zelzate, the Germans attempt to cross the Ghent-Terneuzen Canal, and the Belgians at that point in time no longer have frontline units to prevent this. The 37th Regiment of the Line, a second reserve unit, is moved up from its garrison on the coast to fill the gaps in the frontline. However, in the absence of heavy armament, this proves quite useless.
The men are relieved by the 2nd Regiment of Guides. This allows them to leave their positions during the night of 23 May, but they have to abandon their comrades fallen during the shelling. The 2nd Regiment of Guides manages to safeguard the positions. However, this respite is short-lived and the unit eventually has to withdraw as well and take up another position.

 

Casualties

6 Second World War

 

Description

The plot of honour with the casualties fallen during the battle of Zelzate consists of a single row of simple cast-iron crosses and is flanked by the graves of Zelzate veterans.