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This week Sabine’s battlefield guide Saturday is going to the area of the river Yzer to follow a Belgian doctor and at the same time look what IR 359 writes about this location
Jos (short for Joseph) François Pierre August De Cuyper ***
Born in Brugge on the 26th of June 1891, the eldest son of 10 children. from the 1th of September 1913 he took voluntary service as an “élève medecin” for a duration of 8 years in the Belgian army. On the eve of his 6th and second last exam the war broke out. 1th of August, the day after the general mobilization he left Brugge for Gent at 7 o’clock, where he put himself at the disposal of the army. throughout the duration of the war he belonged to the first army division, initially as auxiliary doctor to the 22nd line regiment, 2nd battalion. after the almost extermination of his regiment at St. Margariet Houthem and the Yzer battle, he was for the time being attached to an “ambulance column”, but on the 17th of December 1914 he returned to the foot soldiers of the 2nd line regiment, 4th battalion. by the 26th of July 1915 he was transferred to the military hospital of Leisele. He kept a diary that started on the 29th of July 1914 and stopped on the 18th of October 1917 he wrote in Dutch as well as in French. Why he stopped writing could have several reasons, maybe no enough time or he got fed up, there is even a possibility that he last part went missing. Unfortunately the day he was supposed to do his final exam ( 30/09/1918)at the hospital “cabour” in De Panne he dies at Zarren Linde by shrapnel.
Monday 19/10/1914 : Battle of the yzer on the 20th he writes they have been taking care all night of wounded soldiers..
Wednesday 21/10/1914 : Pervyse is bombed, a stretcher-bearer is killed in the trench, as well as 3 volunteers who are beheaded. the explosions’ make more noise than they do harm. Our artillery fires into our trenches. We bombard “ferme du pont”at schooorbakke , explotions and shrapnel. Adant and Dr. Vanderschelden, are killed, together with a priest stretcher-bearer, at 7 a.m.
Albert Charles Octave Mauritius Adant, who was a close friend of Jos and also an auxiliary doctor, he was literary blown to pieces in the bend of Tervaete ( Stuivekenskerke), with Dr. Eric Jules Joseph Vanderschelden who was originally from Oost Vleteren ( about 7 minutes away of where I live) but was a doctor in Izegem before the war started.
Jean François Joseph Lissoir 30/ 6/1888 born in Sinsin, Namen was the priest stretcher bearer part of the Service de Santé even his name was not mentioned in this war diary it was still possible to find out. all 3 were part of the 2nd line regiment.
Thursday 22/10/1914 :
the battalion is relieved from the schoorbakke bridge during the night, we spend a few hours in a farm called ‘groenpoort’. the passage of the Yser river by the Germans at Keiem is announced. We are placed in reserve on the road from Pervyse to Schoore.In the evening the carabiniers and grenadiers attack, with the count d’ oultremont leading . from 5 o’clock in the evening until 6 o’clock in the morning, we dress the wounded with several other doctors. the schoorbakke bridge is been blown up by our troops. We no longer occupy the bank of the yser. the attack has not driven the enemy back beyond the river. it is said that Mahy is wounded, he is missing.
Infantry regiment 359
Monday 19/101914 :
New deployment of the 9th battalion after many back and forward marches back again at Slijpe, 10th battalion at St. Pieter’s kapelle where it was temporarily caught in heavy fire. 12th battalion in farmsteads behind them.
Tuesday 20/10/1914
The battalions remain ready for battle in their shelters and are taken back to Leffinge in the evening.
Wednesday 21/10/1914
At noon again at St. Pieters, partly in heavy shellfire. the attack of the 5 reserve division in front of the canal passages at Mannekesvere and Schoorbakke does not yet win these passages. in the evening the 9th battalion moves back to Slijpe
Thursday 22/10/1914
no significant changes. during the night, the 10th battalion advances to a position southwest of Schoore, the only access road, the Schoore – Schoorbakke country road, is under heavy fire.
gefallen lt holtschneider
sources:
namenlijst IFFM
Journal de campagne 1914-917 door jos de Cuyper uitgegeven door E.H. Andre De Cuyper 1968
inventaris onroerenderfgoed.be, Das Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 359 by Delbanco, Paul