Last week it was 80 years ago that the first V1s appeared above Antwerp. With some 2200 of them shot down, all on their way to the city or its port, there can be no doubt about the importance of the defense by Antwerp X. For Antwerp and thus also W.O.2.
In order to form a more or less vivid idea of this, we should be able to unroll in our imagination, as in the suggestive and fantastical, but fortunately only fictional realm of the film, the movie of the complete destruction of Antwerp.” Mayor Craeybeck, 1947.
As shown on our V1 page the successful defence had serious consequences for the people around the city. Initially in the south-east and later mainly north of the city, all from October 1944 civilians and soldiers lived under the sound of V1's and the roaring guns that fired at them. If a V1 was hit it could explode immediately with the danger coming from the rain of debris, most however were only thrown off course and impacted randomly.
That not only the V-weapons posed a danger but sometimes also the weapons of the defenders themselves can be read here on our "Antwerp and Armstrong" page. A military victim of defective ammunition was the American soldier Frank Klepper. He died in Putte when a 40mm round did not explode in the air near a V1 as intended but only when it came back down, on Frank's gun. During the almost 6 months, dozens of allied soldiers of Antwerp X lost their lives and hundreds were wounded while carrying out their task in that cold winter of 1944-1945.
In 2013, the organization Kamp 44 based in Putte inaugurated a commemorative plaque on the building of the local historical society het Molenijzer, only 200m away from the place where soldier Klepper was fatally hit in 1944. On November 10, 2024, a monument will also be inaugurated here on the 80th anniversary at 10 am. Afterwards, people can take part in the “Frank Klepper walk” and in the center of Putte there is also an exhibition to visit all weekend in “De Wildeman” (Mechelbaan 428).
An initiative to commemorate the sacrifices made by soldiers and civilians around the city for its salvation can of course only be applauded. We hope to meet many acquaintances on Sunday at these activities, see you then!
Update: 10 november 2024.
With the weekend behind us, we would like to share a bit about this beautiful day remembrance in Putte on Sunday.
The ceremony at the inauguration of the new monument began with the American flag or so-called “colors” being placed next to it. In addition to master of ceremonies Jelle Thys, the representative of the American military attaché in Belgium spoke, as well as Tom Pinet, one of the family members of Antwerp-X veterans present. Tom also visited the Bunker Museum a few years ago, as we had the pleasure of having Jelle visit us several times with family members of veterans. The military attaché then unveiled the new monument and the accompanying information board together with the family members. To conclude, the national anthems of Belgium and then the United States were played, respectively by an entire brass band and solo by a family member of a veteran with only her voice and guitar.
For the walk there was the option between a short or long (6 and 11) kilometer walk along V-bomb related locations in and around Putte, with information and photographs provided at each of them showing what happend there 80 years ago.
