Contexte historique
After the fall of Liège and Namur the Belgian army retreats to the Antwerp stronghold, where it licks its wounds. However, events force the Belgians into action. Plans are made to attack the German flanks in order to alleviate pressure on the French and British armies.
During these two raids on 24-26 August 1914 and 9-13 September 1914 the Belgians try to stop the Germans in the north of the present-day province of Flemish Brabant. Initially, the attacks are successful and many villages are temporarily recaptured, but the German opposition proves too strong and the Belgians are pushed back. The fights destroy entire communities and claim many Belgian dead.
At first, these are buried in field graves or in the municipal graveyards of the villages where they die, but a permanent solution is mandatory. The construction of the Eppegem cemetery and the transfer of bodies take place in the 1920s, similarly to what happens all over the country. A German cemetery is located next to the Belgian one, but those bodies are transferred to the German cemetery in Wespelaar in the late 1930s. The cemetery mainly counts soldiers with the 2nd and 3rd regiments of chasseurs à pied. With more than 150 dead they make up the majority of the fallen.
Victimes
228 Première Guerre mondiale
Description
D’une superficie de 22 ares, le carré militaire est entouré sur tout son périmètre par un mur de briques, surmonté côté rue d’une clôture en fer forgé. Les sépultures font face à l’entrée. Elles sont adossées contre de petites haies, comme initialement prévu lors de l’aménagement du cimetière. La croix du souvenir érigée en mémoire des soldats morts se compose de deux fûts de canon. Devant elle se dresse un obélisque avec des textes en français et en néerlandais.