Roeselare Station

From 1917, Roeselare was constantly under fire from the Allies. The majority of the citizens traveled inland by train.

Roeselare Under Fire
In 1917, the Allies began a new offensive with the Third Battle of Ypres. Roeselare was almost completely destroyed, and there were many civilian casualties. The German military administration decided to evacuate the civilian population from large parts of the city.

Attacks on the Station
The railway station of Roeselare was an important transport hub for the German 4th Army and thus became one of the main targets for Allied bombardments. The entire area around the station was thoroughly destroyed.

Evacuation of the City
Starting in August 1917, the first Roeselare citizens, mainly from the western districts closest to the front, were ordered to leave. On August 18, the first train left with around a thousand voluntary refugees. The carriages were packed with people with their household goods, bedding, and even sewing machines. By December 1917, the last refugee trains departed. The city was almost empty. Roeselare was now a city full of ruins, plagued by looting by German soldiers and some remaining civilians.

Toerisme Roeselare