December 4, 2017

Wounded Belgian Heroes Tonbridge 1914

Following the Siege of Antwerp, many Belgians fled for their lives coming to the UK. On 16th October 1914, a ‘special’ Ambulance train arrived at Tonbridge Station in the early hours of the morning carrying several wounded Belgian soldiers & one French soldier. Tonbridge was only one of 200 stops in the country for this special service. A large number of volunteers met the arrival of this train with cars, stretchers and an ambulance and transported the men as comfortably as they were able to Tonbridge School sanatorium, located in Rowan Mews Dernier Road.

This had been generously been offered for use until the Red Cross hospital at Quarry Hill House had been furnished.

Belgian wounded outside the School Sanitarium, Tonbridge. Source- Private collection

Mr Lowry Headmaster of Tonbridge School & also Chairman of the Tonbridge War Refugee committee had stepped up to the mark accommodate the wounded heroes.

List of Belgians being treated by Tonbridge WVAD on 23 October 1914

On arrival the men were treated to a beef tea prepared by the ladies of the detachment a report stated in several articles of the Tonbridge Free Press October 1914.

Belgian wounded inside the School Sanitorium, Tonbridge Source- Private collection

After a week the Red Cross hospital VAD 44 was ready to accommodate the wounded, all but one was transferred.

Due to his deterioration Louis Marx was kept at the sanatorium, however after a few weeks he asked to be moved to be with his friends.

Source- Private collection

On 20^th November 1914 he sadly died age 24. There was a very impressive Military funeral in his honour with three volleys being fired over the grave by Tonbridge Officer Cadets with the last post being played by Cadet Newberry. The coffin was covered with the Belgian flag and the service officiated by Rev Walsh from Corpus Christi Church.

Funeral procession for Belgian soldier Louis Marx. Source- Private collector

Gravestone located in Tonbridge Cemetery just passed the chapel.

Louis Marx’s gravestone in Tonbridge Cemetery. Source: Pam Mills

Every effort has been made to trace this soldier’s family to no avail.

This is the last known address of any member of Louis Marx’s family. Source: Pam Mills

Sadly there is no family to tend his grave, yet every year during Remembrance a poppy is placed upon his grave, along with all the other heroes that lost their lives in WW1.

Home Front Legacy 1914-18

The Home Front Legacy team would like to thank Pam Mills for providing this Case Study. You can find out more about Home Front life in Tonbridge on our Map of Sites. If you have any further information about the wounded Belgian soldier Louis Marx we would like to hear from you.

Sources

Belgian archives -Brussels

L’Independence Belge newspaper - 20^th November 1914

Courier newspaper - 27^th November 1914

Tonbridgian – Tonbridge School magazine – December 1914

Tonbridge Free Press - October and November 1914