On May 28, 1940, around 100 British soldiers were assigned to delay the advance of German troops trying to reach Dunkirk, in order to prevent the Allied embarkation, known as Operation Dynamo. After nine hours of resistance, with losses on both sides, the British, forced to surrender, were taken prisoner, locked in a barn in a pasture at "La Plaine au Bois" in Esquelbecq, and massacred...
A lookout has been erected, with an orientation table at the top showing British positions and Nazi troop movements.
Nearby, a stele commemorates the soldiers and civilians who fell in this part of Flanders during the Second World War.
The victims of this massacre are buried in the Esquelbecq Commonwealth War Cemetery, and in the Ledringhem and Wormhout cemeteries.
A stele of peace and friendship between peoples was inaugurated on May 28, 2010, the 70th anniversary of the massacre and the 10th anniversary of the creation of the Plaine au Bois remembrance association.
Guided tours, in French and English, are organized by the Hauts de Flandre Tourist Office. Information from the Hauts de Flandre Tourist Office (Aline service Groupes 06.37.45.10.50). The site is also open to the public.
A "sentier de mémoire en Hauts de Flandre" (remembrance trail in the Hauts de Flandre region) allows you to follow, on foot, by bike or by car, the key events and places of the Second World War, in the three communes of Esquelbecq, Ledringhem and Wormhout. It is available for 2? from information offices throughout the region.
For self-guided tours, download the free "Legendr - l'histoire en poche" application and follow the suggested itineraries.
A lookout has been erected, with an orientation table at the top showing British positions and Nazi troop movements.
Nearby, a stele commemorates the soldiers and civilians who fell in this part of Flanders during the Second World War.
The victims of this massacre are buried in the Esquelbecq Commonwealth War Cemetery, and in the Ledringhem and Wormhout cemeteries.
A stele of peace and friendship between peoples was inaugurated on May 28, 2010, the 70th anniversary of the massacre and the 10th anniversary of the creation of the Plaine au Bois remembrance association.
Guided tours, in French and English, are organized by the Hauts de Flandre Tourist Office. Information from the Hauts de Flandre Tourist Office (Aline service Groupes 06.37.45.10.50). The site is also open to the public.
A "sentier de mémoire en Hauts de Flandre" (remembrance trail in the Hauts de Flandre region) allows you to follow, on foot, by bike or by car, the key events and places of the Second World War, in the three communes of Esquelbecq, Ledringhem and Wormhout. It is available for 2? from information offices throughout the region.
For self-guided tours, download the free "Legendr - l'histoire en poche" application and follow the suggested itineraries.
