The fair city of Mechelen celebrated the anniversary of the liberation from the Nazi yoke at the end of World War II yesterday. A memorial stone was unveiled to commemorate the animals that were used as weapons of war during the conflict. ‘It is not only humans who suffered,’ veterans say.
At the weekend Mechelen (Antwerp Province) commemorated the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the city in 1944. Ceremonies were held at various places in the city. Two new monuments were unveiled. A memorial stone for the civilian victims of the bombing of Mechelen was unveiled at Sint-Romboutskerkhof, while at the corner of Liersesteenweg and Caputsteenstraat, the city unveiled a memorial to animals. ‘It’s not only humans that suffered, but also animals that served as weapons of war. This memorial is intended to commemorate these creatures,’ Daniel Wynants of the Royal Association of War Veterans noted. It was at the request of the association that the memorial stone was created.
Living bombs
‘The animals were used as living bombs,’ Mr Wynants explains. ‘At first rats were used, but pigeons, dogs and horses were later also employed. During World War I, a huge number of horses were killed in and around Ieper. It was mainly the British who made use of these animals.’
During the Second World War, it was mainly pigeons and rats that were employed. ‘The British used some 200,000 pigeons,’ says Mr Wynants. ‘They served on reconnaissance flights over German lines, but they could also carry explosives. It's a bit like the drones used in the war in Ukraine today.’
Rats suffered the same fate. ‘These were often freed and then crawled under tanks or warehouses. But they too had explosive devices on their bodies, which then exploded within minutes. Of course, these rats were unaware of what was going on. This memorial is intended to commemorate their efforts.’