Tribute wall fallen 1914 -1918

On August 20, the German army invaded Buken with its 'Skull Uhlans'. As a result, within a few days, St. Anthony's Church, the rectory, the school and some homes were on fire. This was a retaliation for the delayed advance of the German offensive but also a reaction to the false accusation that Bukenaars had shot at the Germans from the church tower. On August 26, 1914, Father Sombroek, helper of Father De Clerck, was shot against the wall of the Castle de Meulenaere together with 10 other villagers.

Henricus De Clerck had been vice-pastor at Emblem (1883-1885) and Tildonk (1885-1895) after his ordination to the priesthood in 1883, before being appointed pastor of Buken in 1895. In August 1914, due to health problems, he had received a coadjutor in the person of the Dutch father Vincentius Sombroeck, a Friar Minor conventual from the monastery in Leuven. Both clerics were repeatedly mistreated and threatened by German troops after the occupation of Buken from 20 August onwards. On August 26, Father Vincentius and ten civilians fell under the German bullets. On that day, Father De Clerck was also led away from his rectory in the direction of Kampenhout. The next day he was taken back to Buken with a group of men and women. When the sick pastor could not continue, he was put against a tree by two German soldiers near the Sas van Kampenhout and shot dead. On November 9, 1914, his body was exhumed on the spot and transferred to the cemetery of Buken where he was given a final resting place next to the grave of his fellow sufferer Father Sombroeck.

Source: www.odis.be

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