From the Memorial at Southampton Old Cemetery

There is a memorial to the Belgian soldiers at Southampton Old Cemetery. On one of the plaques, there are the names of Belgian soldiers who were buried in Netley at the time of it's erection on May 23rd 1916. The names are as follows:

Lieut. G. Petit

R.M Soetaert

G. Billiet

J. Salien

D. Fanbrack

L. Ducastell

J. Gillis

M. Fancon

V. Janssens

E. Quost

J. Githers

G. Haverland

A.J. Bertiaux

J. Hainaut

J. Damhay

L. Noe

L. Minn

Ferlia

G. De Laethauwer

J.B. Lombaerts

D. Van Haeck

According to the burial records, Noe and Ferlia were removed from the cemetery in 1923 as were Ducastell, Gillis, Laethauwer, Damhay and Lombaerts.

This is from Danny Delcambre regarding the Netley Belgian Burials:

www.bel memorial.org/cities/abroad/angleterre/southampton/netley_mil_cemetery.htm

The Daisy is the flower of Remembrance for Belgium.

Hampshire Advertiser 24th October 1914

Adhémar BERTIAUX died 7th November 1914 Born 15th March 1893

Burial record states 58887 Bertiaux A. J. Belgian died 7th November 1914 age 21

Adhémar Jules

Burial no 813 Roman Catholic

Gaston BILLIET died 4th November 1914 Born 24th April 1895.

Burial record states Gaston Billiet Belgian died 4th November 1914 age 19

Burial record no 811 Roman Catholic

I have been given a few details about Gaston from Patrick Michiels: His parents were Edouard and Marie Louise. He was born on the 24th April 1895 in Gentbrugge, East-Flanders, near Ghent Belgium.

He was a Private 2nd Class Chaplain/Ambulant, Service no. 197/28038.

He died after receiving injuries to his abdomen, arm and legs.

Patrick goes on to say: Gaston was the Great Grand Uncle of my colleague Eric Van Vaerenbergh. The family tried to find out till now, where Gaston was buried, while like I've already told you they received a little tin box with burial earth (not a wooden box, like I told you before) but they didn't know where Gaston was buried... So it took about 103 years till I've researched it out for my collegue. Unfortunally the family don't have any pictures of Gaston in uniform or in civil, all was destroyed in the Monastery where Gaston was stationed before the war, the Monastery was totally destroyed during the War by the Germans.

Below are photographs from Patrick that he did manage to research. He had hoped to find a photograph of Gaston when he was in the army but that wasn't possible, instead he says:

I've managed to contact the former Congregation of Gaston where Gaston was active as a teacher before war. He name as E.H. Broeder Libertus-Maria (Gaston Billiet) and hereby we are proud to send you a picture of Gaston as Chaplain during the Great War and as Brother of the Order of Maria of Lourdes.

Maurice FAUCON died 17th November 1914 Born 1st March 1889

Burial record states 53612 Foucon M Belgian died 17th November 1914 age 25

Burial record no 815 Roman Catholic

Jean HAINAUT died 22nd November 1914 Born 19th December 1887

Burial record states 46495 Pte Jean Hainant Belgian died 22nd November 1914 age 27

Jean Joseph Ghislain

Burial record no 819 Roman Catholic

Rene G.G. HAVERLAND died 27th October 1914 born 12th April 1897

There is a burial record for a Pte Howcolanol Belgian died on 29th October 1914. Burial record no 802 Roman Catholic.

On ancestry.co.uk there is a death certificate for a George Haverland born abt 1897 and died 1914 age 17. Is this the same person?

René Georges Ghislain

Victor JANSSENS died 9th December 1914 Born 2nd December 1893

Burial record states 58998 Pte V Janssens Belgian died 9th December 1914 age 21

Burial record no 820 Roman Catholic

Léopold MIN died 20th October 1914

Burial record states 54111 Pte. Léopold Min Belgian died 29th october 1914 age 28.

Burial record no 805 Roman Catholic

Gaston PETIT died 28th October 1914 Born 26th November 1882

Burial record states Lieut. P. Garcon Belgian. died 28th October 1914

Louis Désiré Gaston received the Croix de Guerre for his actions.

Burial record no 798 Roman Catholic

The translation is as follows:

"Petit Gaston, Born at Chairières on 26 november 1882
Sub Lieutenant, Order of Leopold, War Cross, Military Cross 2e Class
Tried to stop, practically on his own, the enemy advance but his legs were shot off by an enemey machine gun on 20 september 1914. Was evacuated to Folkstone were he died on 28 October 1914."

From André Declercq.

That puts him in de defense of Antwerp, the 3rd Regiment of Chasseurs fought in the region of Londerzeel (near the fortresses of Liezele and Breendonk). There were several patrols in force to the south near Opwijk between 20 and 22 september 1914, where they clashed with elements of the German Marine Division. That's where he probably got wounded.

Thank you Niko.