Flanders Fields 14-18

30/05/2026

Sniper and observer from the 1/4th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment in the roof of a barn at Antons Farm near Ploegsteert Wood during the spring of 1915. 📷- © IWM (Q 50690)

29/05/2026

Just a short distance from Flanders Fields is the historic city of Bruges. The city is home to the famous St Godelieve Abbey, which has recently uncovered an incredible story from the First World War.

In 1918, as the German troops were retreating, soldiers filled St Godelieve Abbey with straw bales intending to destroy the building. However, as they were about to start the fire, a man names Jules D’Hoore managed to intervene and prevent a soldier from starting the blaze. Had he not intervened, the history of the abbey would have taken a very different course. The sisters of the Abbey later noted that so much straw had been left behind that they could use it to light their stoves for the next 10 years.

It is only recently this story has come to light when the documentation of this rescue was found by Françoise Verfaille, who is passionate about the abbey’s history. After finding the documents, she set about tracing the family of Jules D’Hoore.

On 27 May, the family of Jules D’Hoore were invited to the abbey to see the archive material. As Françoise searched his family history, she discovered one surviving granddaughter, Marie D’Hoore, now 103 years old, and 28 great grandchildren.

The discovery serves as a reminder that the wider region, as well as Flanders Fields, still bears the scars of the First World War. It represents a new chapter in Bruges’ history and that of St Godelieve Abbey. Through remembering these stories, we ensure that lessons from the past are not lost.

📷 - The family of Jules D'Hoore at St Godelieve Abbey

28/05/2026

Corporal Waters and troops of the 1/6th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment in No. 8 trench, Messines Road, 1915.

📷 - © The rights holder (Q 60489)

26/05/2026

A small selection of images taken by Eric Compernolle for this years Memorial Day. The images are from ceremonies at Kemmel American Monument, Lyssenthoek Cemetery and Flanders Field American Cemetery.

Now and always, we will remember them.

📷 - © Eric Compernolle

26/05/2026

For those visiting Flanders this summer who would like to attend one of the reburial services

🇬🇧🙏| 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 - 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 - 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗴𝗶𝘂𝗺 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗚𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 🇧🇪🇩🇪 |🙏
Check out the schedule of upcoming military rededications and reburials ceremonies in Belgium and Germany for the month of June:
📅𝟬𝟯/𝟬𝟲 🕰 𝟭𝟭:𝟬𝟬📍𝗧𝘆𝗻𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘁 𝗖𝗲𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆 🇧🇪
Reburials of two unknown soldiers 🇬🇧

📅 𝟬𝟵/𝟬𝟲 🕰 𝟭𝟱:𝟬𝟬📍𝗛𝗼𝗼𝗴𝗲 𝗖𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗲𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆 🇧🇪
Rededication of Serjeant Ernest Albert Stevens 🇬🇧
Rededication of Lance Corporal John Edgar Springate 🇬🇧

📅 𝟭𝟬/𝟬𝟲 🕰 𝟭𝟬:𝟯𝟬📍𝗧𝘆𝗻𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘁 𝗖𝗲𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆 🇧🇪
Reburial of Private Horace Frederick Cook 🇬🇧
Reburial of Private Frederick Martin 🇬🇧
Reburial of Private Thomas Redvers Whitaker 🇬🇧
Reburial of Private Courtney Darville Hart 🇬🇧
Reburial of Private Joseph Turnley 🇬🇧
Reburial of Private Charles Richard Russell 🇬🇧

📅𝟭𝟳/𝟬𝟲 – 🕰 𝟭𝟬:𝟯𝟬 📍𝗕𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗻 𝟭𝟵𝟯𝟵-𝟭𝟵𝟰𝟱 𝗪𝗮𝗿 𝗖𝗲𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆 ( 𝗚𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 )🇩🇪
🕰 10:30 Reburial of Sergeant Ernest Alfred Anthony🇬🇧
🕰 11:30 Reburial of Private Donald MacRae🇬🇧
🕰 14:00 Rededication of Private Ernest James Grendall🇬🇧

Let's pay tribute to these missing persons who have been identified or reburied so that we don't forget them.
Flanders Flanders Fields 14-18 Ieper Post Ieper

26/05/2026

When war erupted across Europe in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson pledged that the United States would remain neutral—a stance many Americans supported. But the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915, which claimed nearly 2,000 lives including 128 Americans, began to shift public sentiment. The revelation of the Zimmermann telegram pushed that shift further, prompting Wilson to ask Congress for a declaration of war. On April 4, 1917, the Senate voted 82–6 in favor; two days later, the House followed, 373–50. Among the dissenters was Rep. Jeannette Rankin of Montana, the first woman in Congress, casting her vote in only the fourth war declaration in U.S. history.

At the time, the U.S. Army numbered just 133,000. The Selective Service Act, passed that May, reinstated the draft for the first time since the Civil War and ultimately brought 2.8 million men into uniform, alongside roughly 2 million volunteers. American troops began arriving in Europe that June, entering combat in France by October. By December, the United States had also declared war on Austria-Hungary.

When the Armistice came in November 1918, more than 2 million Americans had served on the Western Front. Over 50,000 never returned home— We will remember them.

📷- Gunners of the 6th American Field Artillery Regiment washing their boots in a stream. © IWM ((Q 94519)

25/05/2026

Once known as Decoration Day, Memorial Day took shape in 1866 as a national US moment of remembrance. May 30 was chosen because flowers would be in bloom across the country—ready to be laid upon the graves of those who died in military service. Today, the holiday is observed on the last Monday of May, but its purpose remains unchanged.
To those who gave the last full measure of devotion, we honor your service, remember your lives, and offer our deepest gratitude for your sacrifice.

📷- Waregem - Memorial Day Flanders Field American Cemetery. BN9A1355 © Nick Mol

23/05/2026

As part of our series of sharing our followers' stories, we remember the life of Hubert Merchant.

Private Hubert Merchant, born 1896 in Wales, was in the Welsh Regiment. Just a week after his 21st Birthday, he died on 1 August 1917 at Pilckem Ridge. His great-niece, Susan Hooper, shared, "I will always remember the great-uncle I never got to meet - my grandmother was very close to him; she was only 4 years younger." His name is commemorated on Panel 37 of the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres, Belgium.

We will remember him.

📷- Private Hubert Merchant (Image courtesy of Susan Hooper, who shared this image that belonged to her grandmother)

22/05/2026

As part of an excavation project in Palingbeek has been found, the article is in Dutch but our English speaking followers can also translate the article via your internet browser.

A mass grave has been discovered in a First World War trench during excavations at a golf club in Ieper. Alongside the bodies, archaeologists also found a pile of personal belongings and a bugle, the instrument used to play the Last Post. “The symbolism of this find is immense,” they say.

20/05/2026

Today, we share with you the next video from our “Behind the Lines” project which, together with our local partners across Flanders Fields, will show you some well-known memorials and lesser visited corners of the Ypres Salient.

We hope these behind-the-scenes glimpses offer you an insight into the community that continues to care for the region and inspire you to come visit these places for yourself.

Today we're with Simon from Talbot House, in its famous chapel.

📍 Talbot House, Poperinge

What would you like to see next?