Spoorlijn Duinkerke-Adinkerke tijdens WO1

One of the most important Railroads on the Western Front - from Duinkerken (Dunkerque -France) Dunkirk to Adinkerke - to support the remains of the Belgian Army on the Yzer-front and the most important, -the only remaining Supporting Railroad Line-, bringing in troops and munitions for the trenches as well as for the Offensives in 1917 and 1918 – remember Passchendale – a.s.o -. is now directly being threatened by demolition.

The Belgian public Railways N.M.B.S./ S.N.C.B. and the Infrastructure provider Infrabel have recently given orders for demolition, notwithstanding the Commemoration of the outbreak of the First World War.

This on the eve of remembering the violation of Belgian territory, without a declaration of War; the execution of the slightly adapted “Schlieffen-plan” by the German Military High Command ( von Moltke) to invade France ( the Dutch territory was spared on the request of Krupp, remained neutral as a result) by the German Army.

Belgium remembers in particular the support of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and her Dominions in upholding the Belgian neutrality against the German invader.

This decision to demolish this historically so infamous Railroad - of almost unequalled importance - to the War effort, can at this very moment only be seen as to frustrate a formal request for running a Centennial Memorial Train on this track, in Honour of all Allied soldiers, in particular those of the British Empire, having fought and died on this frontier, one of the most important stretches of the Western Front.

This is also considered an affront to the Belgian Military honour as well as to the numerous Belgian soldiers and civilians that lost their lives (and possessions) during the First World War, in this persistently-protractedly- defended area, the only (reasonably small) area [de Westhoek] of the Belgian territory never occupied by the Germans, during the First World War..

Proudly defended by the remains of the Belgian Army and heavily supported by the Allies, as you all (ought to) know.

We beseech you to protest to all Belgian authorities, to stop this wilful destruction of this memorable railroad – to honour their obligations in the coming Remembrance to include the historical importance of this Railroad and secure its (operational) existence for the future for the above mentioned reasons.

Richard H. van der Pols (retired historian)

Bergen op Zoom - The Netherlands.