Historical information
Created
on the initiative of Lieutenant=General Pierre Roman (who died 6 months
after his request of museum creation), Lieutenant Commando in 1942, the
Museum was inaugurated on July 04 1980 by Mrs Pierre Roman, in the presence
of Major=General (retd) Baron Georges Danloy, KCVO, MBE first Commanding
Officer of the very first Belgian Commando Unit, the "4th Troop" created
in July 1942 in Great Britain within the "Nr 10 Inter-Allied Commando".
The museum illustrrates only the history of the Belgain Commandos from
1942 till our days. Everything which is exposed in it was offered by
members of the Commando family or is in deposit for long duration from
the Royal
Army Museum. Each item exposed must have a direct or indirect link
with the Belgian Commandos. Arranged chronologically and/or thematically,
the collections are distributed in 19 rooms with variable size, each
room has received a number and a denomination.
The Belgian Commandos travelled much and still stravel: to answer the
order of the Belgian Government in London, the Founders joined Great
Britain, coming from all regions of the world and many of them achieved
a long and perilous tour, from occupied Belgium to England via France,
Spain and/or Portugal. The units achieved combat missions (on Allied
side from 1943 up to 1945), and humanitarian missions, for Belgium, UN
or NATO, mainly in Europe, Central Africa and Asia. Many Commandos engaged
in the Belgian Corps of Volunteers for Korea.
The creation
In 1942, on proposal of the Brits, the Belgian Government exiled in
London agreed to incorporate a Belgian unit in the "Nr 10 Inter-Allied
Commando", the "4th Troop" is created on July 27, 1942 under command
of the reserve Captain Georges Danloy and settled in Abersoch in Wales,
where due to lack of barracks, it was accomodated like other commando
troops, with the inhabitants.
At the end of August, it moved to Achnacarry to undergo the hard training
which would make it possible to its members to get the famous Green
Beret.
On photo nr 16 you see a "Goatley" assault foldable boat MkIII used
by the Commandos during the war and afterwards until 1957. In
February
1957,
during a demonstration for US General Norstad (SACEUR), a boat turned
upside down and 3 men were drowned, and, although the boat was not
the cause of the accident, it was withdrawn from training and replaced
by inflatable boats (dinghies). The exposed model (the only one in
Belgium) could have been purchased thanks
to
one subscription in which took part more than 660 members of the Commando
family.
On December 13, 1943 in Italy, in front of the "Gustav line", the "4th
Trrop" is the first unit of the Belgian Land Force to resume combat
after the defeat of 1940.
March 1944 will see Commandos on the island of Vis in Yugoslavia on
Tito's partisans' side. Returned in June to England, too late to take
part in the Normandy landings, it took part, on the 1st of November,
starting from Oostende, in the first wave of assault to conquer the
island of Walcheren,
this one has been conquered after 9 days of hard combat.
In April 1945, the "4th Troop" carried out a security mission in Northern
Germany, in order to search for the Belgians having carried the Belgian
uniform, Major BEM Hellebaut, chief of the "Walloon Legion", had been
arrested and returned to Belgium under the guard of Major Danloy.
4 Belgian Commandos lost their lives during those campaigns.
Post-War Period
In September 1945, the "4th Troop" which in the meantime had become
in May "Regiment Commando" returned to Belgium and settled in Marche-Les-Dames
and in the Citadel of Namur, later on also in Seilles.
1946: the Regiment Commando receives its standard.
1947: The Training Centre for Commandos is officially created.
1950: A large number of Commandos volunteered for Korea. The Regiment
Commando was in charge of training the officers and NCO's and later
on all the reinforcements for the Cop (Battalion) of the Belgian volunteers
for Korea.
November 1951 saw the creation of the Regiment Para=Commando whose
first Commander was Lt Colonel Georges Danloy.
In 1953 began the African adventure in Belgian Congo, more specifically
in Kamina then in Kitona. The attainment of independance of the Belgian
colony marked the beginning of a succession of humanitarian operations
in which the Commandos took part up to 1979. (3 Commandos died in July
1960, 1 in January 1961 by the Congolese National Army)
In 1993 began UN
operations in Somalia, in March 1994 in Rwanda (In April 7, 10 Commandos
were wildly massacrated by soldiers of the Rwandan Army -see photo
nr 72 depicting a commemorative plate-).
In 1999 Commandos took part
in operation sin Albania and Kosovo. Between December 2002 and March
2003 the Commandos accomplished a 4 months tour in Kosovo where they
brought back a German anti-tank gun, a PaK 38 (see photos nr 34 and
35) which had been recovered by the Yugoslav Army in 1944.
The 105mm Howitzers (US), manufactured in 1942, have equipped the Field
artillery battery from 1973 until 1998, 1 of these canon is exposed
(see photos nr. 36, 38, 39 and 41).
From January to June
2004 the 2nd Battalion (by rotations of 120 men every 2 months) is
in charge of training Congolese brigades in Kisangani.
From 1964 Commandos were part of the A(ce)MF(l) (Allied Command Europe
Mobile Forces Land), so they took part in large exercises in Denmark,
Italy, Greece,
Turkey
and
Great Britain. AMF was disbanded in 2002.
The museum also presents a collection of books cover pages relating
to the exploits of the Commandos at all times.
The official
website of the museum stands here and
can be contacted there..
Location information
The museum is
located at
2nd Commando Battalion Camp / S-Lt Thibault Barracks
B-5020 Flawinnes (Namur)
Personal note
As you enter a military base you must leave your identity card at the
entrance gate during the time of your visit and get necessary authorisations
to make photos. The museum
is located at about 50
km of
Liège
(Belgium). Entrance is free.
