Charles Cassells contacted me because he had seen my various posts and the article about GIs in Brussels, and he had his own research he wanted to share.
I was very excited about this. Charles has been digging into the traces of the US 6th Armored Division. After a very long tour from Normandy, Brittany, through France, the Ardennes, Alsace and Germany, the troops visited Brussels for R&R.
One of the leave centers they visited was the George-Henri Club. This was the Royal Institute for the deaf and blind, very close to where Charles used to live in Brussels. The archivist from the Brothers of Charity confirmed this and were kind to send some photographs. The building on avenue Georges Henri, place de Groof, has not changed a lot, but the Brothers are no longer there.
Charles agreed to let me use his text and the photos from the Brothers for this article. Enjoy the trip in the time machine, back 80 years!
Liberation! The British arrive
At the end of August 1944, a number of reconnaissance Jeeps appeared at the Boulevard Brand Whitlock. On Sunday the 3rd of September, British troops entered Brussels, via Avenue de Tervueren, liberating the city after more than four years of occupation by the Germans. The population was deliriously happy. But combat still raged to the north and east of the capital.
Mid-November, the British forces set up a leave centre at the Royal Institute for the deaf and blind, Avenue Georges Henri, the “Georges Henri Hostel”. The young boarders had almost all been sent home.
The Brothers of Charity, who ran the Institute, remained there, sleeping in the cellars.
They had previously hosted up to a hundred Russian refugees, civilians and liberated prisoners. They had to leave the premises, upon the request of the Soviet authorities. They left with one extra person: a baby having been born at the Institute!
During the German occupation, three Jewish boys were hidden in the Institute. In 2003, the Director, Brother Léonce Coutuer, was posthumously recognized as Righteous among the Nations by the Yad Vashem Memorial.
The Brothers and the British soldiers got along very well. Mansel Thomas, a famous musician and conductor of the BBC Welsh orchestra, composed motets, sung by the soldiers in the Institute’s chapel.
The soldiers would spend an average of three day’s leave in Woluwe, in groups numbering up to 800. This while the war continued to the east and north.
The British leave and the Americans arrive
Early in January 1945, the British left the Institute and were replaced by American troops. Just before they left, a British officer asked the brothers to lend him a cassock, for a souvenir photo. One of the Brothers, who had a quick sense of humor, answered “Fine with us, but then the Brothers have to wear battle dresses!”. Brother Alberik, author of the report from which we extracted this summary, noted that when they left, several officers had tears in their eyes.
The Americans arrived with their impressive materiel: gone were the straw mattresses, the field kitchen and the mess tins used by the British. The halls became real restaurants, with tables for eight, modern beds were placed, stamped “USA”, the walls were freshly painted, covering the often saucy graffiti left by the Brits, replaced by “Walt Disney” style drawings.
The main buildings now became “The New York” and “The Chicago”.
The civilian staff increased in numbers from 200 to 300, one young man’s only job being the removal of chewing-gum from the pavement.
A PX (Post Exchange) was created, as well as a dispensary, a barber shop, a finance service and a shoe shine stand.
Recent Hollywood films were screened and concerts organized.
The soldiers arriving from the front carrying heavy packs were exhausted and dirty. Hot showers were provided, they got a haircut and fresh uniforms. Their elegant uniforms and rubber-soled boots greatly impressed the Brothers.
Contacts were friendly, with mutual respect and admiration.
An orchestra was set up, the elder blind pupils playing for the soldiers at lunchtime, mostly light music: “Stars and Stripes” by Sousa, works by von Suppe etc. The boys then played “Glockenspiel” tunes, each bell producing one note, which greatly impressed the soldiers.
The food provided to the troops also impressed the Brothers by its variety and quantity; there usually was a surplus, put to good use by the Brothers for the sick.
“GMC” trucks provided transport to and from the Grand Place, leaving every 15 minutes from 9 AM to 12 PM.
The Brothers were also struck by the fact that black soldiers, usually truck drivers, were accommodated separately, the US forces remaining segregated at this time.
On the left, you see GIs and a mademoiselle waiting for transportation at the bus stop in front of the building.
The Americans leave
The Americans left Woluwe in June 1945. These eight months of “occupation” had caused a lot of wear and tear, but Uncle Sam paid for a complete renovation of the buildings, paint and repairs, everything was then as new.
Thanks to:
Charless Cassels for sharing his research and writings
Luc de Kezel, archivist, Brothers of Charity, Ghent
Thomas Caudron, Royal Institute Woluwe-Saint-Lambert (Orthopedic centre)
Mathilde Samri, municipality of Woluwe-Saint-Lambert
Jean-Claude Broché, neighbor and eagle-eyed researcher.
If you also have story to share about GIs in Brussels, please contact me
The traces of the US 6th Armored Division through Europe:
