09/06/2026
Nimy Company members travelled in Haacht in Flanders on the weekend to take part Bi-period event commemorating the defence actions taken during the early stages of the Great War and Also the defence of Belgium on the KW line during 1940.
The event site is also the location of the K-W Line (Koningshooikt-Wavre Line), which was a major Belgian defensive barrier built between 1939 and 1940 to protect against a potential German invasion. You can still see Anti Tank Defences and a cunningly disguised Pill-box made to look like a lock keepers cottage.
The fighting near Haacht during World War I took place in August 1914 as part of the initial German invasion of Belgium. During the German march on Antwerp, their troops seized the local oast house and used it as a strategic stronghold to block the Belgian army.
Key details of the Haacht conflict:
The Setting: Haacht, a municipality in the Flemish Brabant province of Belgium, was caught in the path of the Imperial German Army's push.The Oast House Skirmish: German forces fortified an oast house (belonging to the Haacht Brewery) to keep advancing Belgian soldiers at a distance.
Friendly Fire: During a Belgian artillery attempt to retake the building, Belgian soldiers misidentified local civilians (Eugène de Ro and Camille Kerkhofs) as the enemy, tragically killing them on August 28,1914.
Historical Scars: The building still bears the original bullet holes from this engagement, which have been left unrestored.
Although, primarily a WW2 event, the Great War displays generated a lot of positive interest with locals and visitors.
