Bissegem’s Second World War monument gets a new, better place

In the night of 20 to 21 July 1944, about 300 Lancaster bombers of the Allies flew to Kortrijk to destroy the marshalling yard. The bombardment was intended to prevent the German army from bringing men and goods to the front smoothly. Because something went wrong, many bombs fell on the city itself, resulting in hundreds of deaths.

Monument more visible

At the spot where one of the planes crashed, in Bissegem, a monument has been standing for years to commemorate the 22 crew members of the bombers who died in the attack. But that monument was somewhat hidden, under the viaduct of the R8. When the Bissegem bridge was renovated, the city of Kortrijk, the Flemish Waterway and the contractor Jan De Nul agreed to give the monument a new and more visible place, next to the bridge.