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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

The War Graves Service 

In the early days of the First World War the military medical service is officially tasked with burying the dead, but in actual fact this is often done by the population and local authorities. The military apparatus is indeed unable to cope with the large numbers of dead and, especially at the beginning of the war, improvisation seems to be the order of the day. Plots in municipal cemeteries are claimed to bury fallen soldiers: we can think of Westvleteren and Adinkerke. Private land is requisitioned for the establishment of cemeteries as well.

Managing war graves 

Cemeteries literally proliferate. As the war progresses the maintenance of graves calls for a global approach. Guidelines on burial, pay, honorary insignias and various documents see the light of day. A decree law regulating the Military Graves Service only appears on 5 April 1917. The service has to centralise registration of fallen soldiers and maintain existing cemeteries. 
After the armistice the Military Graves Service is faced with an almost impossible task: identification and registration of graves, construction of military plots of honour and cemeteries. Different sectors are established, with assigned personnel to carry out the necessary tasks in each area. In 1922-1925, the Ministry of Defence reorganises a lot of cemeteries and in 1927 the supervision of cemeteries becomes a competence of the Interior. With the help of the non-profit organisation Nos Tombes (Our graves) and the Red Cross, among others, the department ensures maintenance until 2003.

Defence

On 1 January 2004 the cemeteries revert to the care of the Ministry of Defence. They are thoroughly renovated, one at the time.  

War Heritage Institute 

Over the years the Military Graves Service changed its name several times, eventually becoming the Military Cemeteries Service. The service oversees the maintenance of cemeteries in Belgium and abroad, with 27,000 graves of Belgian soldiers scattered across hundreds of cemeteries in Belgium, France, Britain and the Netherlands. The service also manages Polish, Soviet, British and French graves in Belgian municipal cemeteries. The Institute for Veterans-National Institute for War Invalids, Veterans and War Victims took over on 1 January 2009. In May 2017 the Institute became part of the then newly established War Heritage Institute.  
Its remit is not limited to monitoring cemeteries. The service is also responsible for reburial of recently found fallen soldiers, in cooperation with several sister organisations. In early 2023 Defence put the War Heritage Institute’s War Graves Service in charge of management, maintenance and small repairs.

 

More Info or questiona : sepultures@warheritage.be.