Lo

During the war, the village of Lo was just a few kilometres behind the front. Troops were passing through here all the time, and it suffered its fair share of bombardments. The church and the town hall were both badly hit. But the medieval West Gate was thankfully spared.

The village was rebuilt to its original design after the Armistice. In May 1915, the Belgian Government commissioned architect Eugène Dhuicque to carry out a survey of the remaining architectural patrimony in non-occupied Belgium, whilst at the same time ensuring the removal of surviving works of art to a place of safety for the duration of the hostilities.

After the war, there was considerable discussion about whether the ruined towns and villages should be left as memorial ruins, rebuilt in a modern style or rebuilt in their original style. It was the third option that usually prevailed, often under pressure from the local population, who wanted things returned to 'the way they were'. This is what happened in Ieper, and also here in Lo.

At the beginning of the war, a number of French colonial troops - Tirailleurs from Senegal and Zouaves from Algeria - were involved in the fighting. They made a strong impression on local people, including the inhabitants of Lo.

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