Commonwealth graves of the crew of a crashed Lancaster (Webbekom)

In a remote corner of the cemetery, the bodies of the crew of a crashed Lancaster are buried. The white Portland stone grave markers are easily recognizable as Commonwealth War Graves Commission graves. On the night of April 28, 1944, at 2:20 a.m., a German Messerschmitt brought down the Lancaster Halifax. The aircraft exploded in a red fireball caused by the marker bombs on board. This means that we know with certainty that this was an aircraft of the leader of a squadron. Seven crew members were killed.

Only the Canadian 'Ted' Blenkisop managed to leave his aircraft in extremis and landed safely. He was taken in by the local population and found shelter with resistance fighter Hilaire Gemoets. At that time, Hilaire was the corps commander of the Belgian Partisans and a member of the sabotage group 'Group G'. Hilaire's resistance group sought clothing and shelter for the crew of downed planes, hid the pilots in the region and helped them escape to England.

When Benkisop's wounds had healed, Hilaire sought a safer hiding place in Meensel-Kiezgem. That turned out to be a wrong assessment. On 11 August, the German government, in cooperation with the 'Stormgroep Verbelen', organised a raid on both villages. Many inhabitants were taken to concentration camps. Blenkisop was also captured and taken away with the Belgian prisoners. He worked as a forced labourer in Hamburg and succumbed to a 'heart attack' in Bergen-Belsen. Squadron Ldr Blenkisop has no known grave.

Jan Rymenams