a14-12-2001.

The offensive of the liberation in 1918.

On the 28 september 1918 at 5,30 u.,after some hours firing cannonades of the artillery,the Belgian army started the offensive of liberation. The first German position succumbed after two hours of fight.In the evening the Flandern ||-Stellung was pushed in here and there,the wood of Houthulst captured and the castle and the lake of the Blankaart invested.The first division of infantry(second,third and twenty-second lineregiment)was departed on De Kippe on the way Diksmuide-Ieper.The twenty-second line had already gone at quarter before ten,across the Klerken-Riegel and captured Houthulst.The quick march forward has been stopped by violent fire of machine-gunners from the height Terrest.

Soldiers of the third line reached at half past ten the way Klerken-Houthulst.They also have been stopped by machine-gunners that came from

the hill top Klerken-Smisse-Terrest.

Here I want to bring in a tragic detail:

The brother of my mother,Omer DeJonckheere was present by these attack and has been killed in the battle.

On his dead-print is to read:

Omer DeJonckheere son of Jules and(then already)deceased maria-Theresia Hoflack--soldier by the third lineregiment--born at Boesinghe the 5 juli 1890 and has been killed in battle in Clerken the 28 September 1918 and ceremonial buried at Oostvleteren on the 5 October 1918.

My Mother always told:"Us omer has been hit by mitrailleuse-bullets.She had sewed in 20 fr.pieces of money in a band around his middle, so that he was able to cut each piece of money when he had need it.Somebody was in the know where Omer was situated and informed his Father and family.Omer's brother Louis fetched him at Clerken with horse and cart to Oostvleteren.

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