Willy Coppens square in Klerken

On this village square there is a small, almost insignificant monument to the memory of Willy Coppens de Houthulst. Coppens was the most famous pilot in the infant Belgian Air Force, with 37 victories. His 'specialization' was shooting down enemy observation balloons. This was no easy task, since they were often heavily defended by anti-aircraft batteries.

Pilots were the great popular heroes, the 'stars' of the First World War. This was the case in all the warring nations, and Coppens was by far the most admired Belgian 'ace', even though he was not the most successful.

Coppens scored his first victories above Houthulst and Houthulst Forest. When he was knighted by King Albert I he was therefore allowed to add the title 'de Houthulst' to his name. Coppens was also a daredevil. On one famous occasion in February 1918 he flew hundreds of kilometres over enemy territory so that he could greet his parents by waggling the wings of his plane over their house in Brussels.

He was badly wounded in the skies above Torhout on 14 October 1918. He managed to get his plane back to his base at Etampes, but one of his legs had to be amputated. Unperturbed, he carried on flying in later life with an artificial leg...

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