Search tips


First search generally, then specifically. Example: don’t look for “François Van Damme”, but try “Van Damme” first and filter the search.
The person you are looking for does not appear? Try another spelling. Example: don’t only try “Vanwymelbeke”, but also “Van Wymelbeke” or “Vanwijmelbeke”.
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

Honour the fallen through pictures of their graves
 

Their memory lives on with a photo of their grave

On 11 November we commemorate the Belgian soldiers who fell during the First and Second World Wars, as well as the war in Korea. The War Dead Register keeps their memory alive. The website contains the stories of their civilian and military lives, using, e.g., their military files, their photos and, if available, photos of their graves.
 

Take a photo at a local cemetery

The War Dead Register is looking for photos of the graves of the fallen soldiers laid to rest in local cemeteries. You can help by taking a photo of such a grave.

The photos honouring these graves on Facebook and on the website 

View and like the entries on Facebook War Dead Register / photo album '11 November 2024' as of Tuesday 12 November 2024 at 12 noon.

The submitted pictures will later be put on the website. The files with the lives of the fallen will include these pictures by early December.

A gift voucher to reward the five photos with the most Facebook likes

The five photos having received the most Facebook likes on Tuesday 19 November 2024 at 12 noon will each receive a gift voucher. With this gift voucher you can visit the War Heritage Institute museum sites, viz. the Royal Military Museum in Brussels, Fort Breendonk in Willebroek, the Trench of Death in Dixmude, the Command Bunker in Heuvelland and Bastogne Barracks in Bastogne.

Pinpoint a fallen soldier at a local cemetery

  • You can find the local cemeteries listed by province via this link
  • Use the search module on the homepage to find out which fallen soldier is buried at the local cemetery you have selected. Please note that the grave concerned may no longer exist. It is therefore best to select more than just one fallen soldier.

Take a nice photo

When taking the photo, keep the following in mind:

  • Point your lens straight at the front of an upright grave or at the surface of a horizontal grave.
  • Include as much of the grave as possible (with some background and sky).

    Furthermore
     
  • Preferably a portrait photo;
  • Sufficient lighting;
  • Name of fallen soldier clearly visible; 
  • .jpg;
  • Weight minimum 1 MB - maximum 2.5 MB.

Send the photo 

The War Dead Register expects your photo or photos by midnight on 11 November 2024 at the latest. Proceed as follows:

  • Before sending the photo rename it as follows:
    NAME and first name of the victim - your NAME and first name.jpg
    Example: ABELS Lucien - SEGERS Jef.jpg
  • Send the picture(s) to wardeadregister@warheritage.be (please use this email address and do not use the contact form in this context);
  • With the picture’s file name and your email address we know you are the sender.


Remark: By submitting this photo, the user grants the War Heritage Institute a license to use, reproduce, represent and adapt it, on the Internet and on paper, without time limit. The user also declares that he is the author of the photo.
 

Keep track of Facebook War Dead Register. As of 12 November 2024 at noon we will publish all submitted photos in the album ‘11 November 2024’. 
 

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