For Freedom Museum, Belgium

[Johan WILLAERT]

To be opened on November 1st, 2008, the Belgian For Freedom Museum honoring the Canadian Troops which liberated the coastal region of Belgium in late 1944, will house the vast collections of Freddy Jones (about 120 complete mannequins) and Patrick Tierssoone (30 vehicles) in a setting designed and built by Belgian decorator Pierre Verbreyt (of Normandy's Dead Man's Corner Museum fame).

Freddy Jones, the son of a British D-Day veteran, started collecting military artifacts in 1984 after he found his father's uniform in the attic. Living in Knokke, which was the last Belgian town to be liberated by the Canadian Forces after the landings on Walcheren and Hoofdplaat, he concentrated on items from Canadians directly involved with the liberation of his home town.
For the museum he has teamed up with Patrick Tierssoone who has been collecting WW2 vehicles since he was a teenager and their collections will be displayed in a former school building near Knokke.

Decoration is well underway with a couple of the main displays finished and it should all be open to the public next November on the 64th anniversary of the liberation of Knokke.

Website Museum (not yet in English):
http://www.forfreedommuseum.be

[malcolm erik bogaert]

good to see the new museum is opening soon will have to come over and have a look...used to be a guy with a gun shop in Koksyde called Marcel De Kerpel...he took me to a old place in La-Panne which was full of sten-guns and Boys anti tank guns still in the grease-proof paper and lots of ammo...we also had a trip to the biggest dump in Belgium at Mont St..(Guibert)!!!!.......the guy there had everything from Harleys(ex french army) to Hawker Hunter jet planes...in one small shed it was filled to the top with 36 type mills grenades and the fuses where just lying on the floor...I bought some large WW1 shell cases which where as big as me!!!the good old days...good luck with the museum regards malcolm erik bogaert

[Johan WILLAERT]

Thanks! Here are some pictures of the building and a couple of displays



Amongst the many original named uniforms those of LtCol F. 'Art' SPARKS, DSO, 2nd In Command, North Nova Scotia Highlanders, 9th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Canadian Infantry Division ( Unit that liberated Knokke)



One of the displays recreates part of the Lippenslaan, the main artery of Knokke. Canadian troops gather in front of the St Moritz Hotel. This display needs some minor work to resemble the WW2 pictures we have of this location and is also temporary home of mannequins awaiting their own display, like the Dispatch Rider of the 24th Lancers, 1st Polish Armored Division.








Note the 'D-Day' Boots, typically worn by members of the 3rd ID

Some mannequins








Johan

[Johan WILLAERT]

More



View inside with small display niches on the left



Work continues on the 'German' room, R(C)AF displays and other themes...

[malcolm erik bogaert]

I shall have a look and see what I can find for you.best regards: malcolm erik bogaert

[Johan WILLAERT]

Today, the museum, which is still under construction, was opened to a delegation of the Canadian Armed Forces, visiting the region to commemorate the liberation 64 years ago...

Here are some more images:

D-Day Display

[Johan WILLAERT]

Royal (Canadian) Navy

[Johan WILLAERT]

The German room illustrating the Axis Forces that the Canadians faced in Belgium

[Johan WILLAERT]

More.......













Enjoy,

Johan

[Johan WILLAERT]

Meanwhile work continues on a R(C)AF and Market Garden Display and then there is the huge task of getting all of the explanatory texts, pictures etc.. done...

[malcolm erik bogaert]

Congratulations a job wel done...best regardfs malcolm erik bogaert

[Johan WILLAERT]

Thanks!

Here's an 13 min excerpt from local TV which aired last week (in French)

http://www.canalzoom.be:80/content/view/1587/305

[malcolm erik bogaert]

many thanks best regards malcolm erik bogaefrt

[Rob van Meel]

Looking forward to the opening ceremony! With own Dutch based QOR group.

Rob

PS would on a German Truppenfahrrad the lid of the centrally mounted tool/utility-box usuually not open towards the other side than is shown in one of your poictures, Johan, eg the side from which one usually mounts the bike too?

[Johan WILLAERT]

Yes, you're right about that, Rob...
We're still looking at that bike with a lot of questions...

Johan

[Rob van Meel]

I have a photostat copy for the late war Heeres dienstvorschrift for das Truppenfahrrad, which may be able to answer some of your questions. Must dig that out.
On the earlier version of the H. Dv. 293: I do a repro of a 1935 edition with amendments.

Rob

[Johan WILLAERT]

Last Saturday the museum was officially opened by Belgian MOD Mr Decrem and other guests, including a Canadian WW2 veteran

Adriaansens Farm





Horsa Glider



Knokke 01 November 1944



Lancaster Crew



New Zealand Air Force







The uniform of Dennis Jones, father of curator/collector Freddy Jones

[Johan WILLAERT]

More:





and toilets...

[malcolm erik bogaert]

Johan if you can send me your museums address I will post off to you my latest find...The Maple Leaf Scrapbook of 1944 by Les Callay and No:3CDN P.R.Group printed by Le Soir.....this book was printed in Belguim for Canadian Forces in Europe...yours Free Gratis best regards malcolm erik bogaert

[Johan WILLAERT]

Thanks Malcolm, PM sent

[malcolm erik bogaert]

no problems regards malcolm