Concept    From 1914  To 1918

Belgium's gratitude for British Aid, WW1

Countries: Belgium

There were over 250,000 Belgian refugees in the UK in WW1. Many were accommodated at Alexandra Palace, but not Hecule Poirot who found refuge at a country house, Style Court.

Every year on the Saturday before Belgian National Day, 21 July, a delegation of Belgian soldiers pay tribute at the Cenotaph to the Belgian and British fighters who lost their lives during WW1, WW2 and subsequent conflicts. Flowers are laid at the Horse Guards Memorial and the Cenotaph. From Joint Forces: "The origins of the Belgian parade at the Cenotaph go back to 1934. On February 17 of that year, Albert I, King of the Belgians, died in a fall from the rocks in Marche-Les-Dames. In honour of his nephew, King George V of the United Kingdom granted the Belgians a unique honour: an annual parade in uniform to the Cenotaph. This makes Belgium the only country outside the Commonwealth that has the right to march armed on British soil." 

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Belgium's gratitude for British Aid, WW1

Commemorated ati

Belgium's Gratitude

Present at the unveiling: Princess Clementine of Belgium, several members of ...

Read More

Other Subjects

Harry Mallin

Harry Mallin

Boxer and policeman. Born Henry William Mallin in Hackney. Although primarily a policeman, he took part in the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp, winning gold. He also participated in the 1924 Olympics in P...

Person, Armed Forces, Sport / Games, TV & Radio, Belgium, France

1 memorial
Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord

Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord

Born in Paris. During political upheavals in France he was backwards and forwards between London and Paris for the year January 1792-3 when he was expelled from Britain and went to the USA. 1830-4 ...

Person, Politics & Administration, Belgium, France

2 memorials
Sir Frank Brangwyn

Sir Frank Brangwyn

Artist. Born Bruges, Belgium where his father was working as an architect/artist but his Anglo-Welsh family moved back to London in 1874. Largely self-taught he was skilled in various mediums and c...

Person, Art, Belgium, Wales

1 memorial
Private Sidney Albert Cownden

Private Sidney Albert Cownden

Private, number 38910 in the Gloucester Regiment. The handwritten notice to him on the Blackheath War Memorial transcribes it as 'Glouetshire'. Killed in action in France aged 16. We requested our...

Person, Belgium

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Frances (Fanny) Burney

Frances (Fanny) Burney

Born King's Lynn, Norfolk, father was Dr Charles Burney. Diarist, novelist: Evelina (1778), Cecelia (1782), Camilla (1796) and playwright. Her first novel, Evelina, was a big success and she ent...

Person, Literature, Theatre, Belgium, France

2 memorials