During the night of Monday 18 to Tuesday 19 May, the Belgian military cemetery in Houthulst was targeted by individuals with malicious intentions, who tore the nameplates from the gravestones, presumably intending to steal them.
Interrupted in the middle of their grim act, the perpetrators left behind 140 plaques lying on the ground, as well as around ten blue stone headstones that were irreparably damaged.
The War Graves Service of the War Heritage Institute has since recovered the plaques and placed them in a safe location for future reinstallation as part of the restoration of the site. The Polder Police Zone is handling the case, conducting the investigation and securing the cemetery through increased patrols.
The military cemetery of Houthulst is the resting place of 1,722 Belgians who fell during the First World War. Respect.