Death of Mlle Germaine Verbaere

[Testerchild]

Bonjour to our French (or maybe Belgian?) Friends,

While studying 11th Wing RFC Routine Orders dated 8th November 1917 I came across an entry where Major H E Johnston (Commanding Officer 20 Squadron RFC, in which unit I have a great interest) was instructed to be Presiding Officer at a Court of Enquiry into the death of the above named lady and "to determine to whom the blame, if any, is attached".

I can find no other references at all to the incident, but assume it occurred shortly before 8th November 1917 and was aviation related. It may have been a road accident involving the RFC, or maybe she was a 'joy-ride' passenger in an aircraft, or maybe a British bomb accidentally fell on her - I have no idea at all how she died but I am quite intrigued as to what happened and "to whom the blame, if any, is attached"

Would there be any readily accessible French or Belgian records of her death? 20 Squadron were based at Sainte-Marie-Cappel near Cassel at this time, so I am guessing the incident happened somewhere in the reasonably near vicinity or the Ypres salient.

Whatever happened, may she Rest in Peace.

Bob

[Froggy]

Bonjour

I do not know the circumstances of her death, but germaine Verbaere is French and is listed as civilian casualties
She is on the war memorial of Hondeghem
(North)

Mmorial-GenWeb


I just found more precise information
Germaine Verbaere was killed Nov. 7, 1917 at Hondeghem by gunshot wounds during an operation of war

http://www.memoiredeshommes.sga.defe...&_C=2487677005



Cordialement
Bruno

[Testerchild]

Froggy,

Many thanks. This gives me something to go on, and I'll start a trawl to find out what was happening at Hondeghem that day, units involved etc. Thanks again.

Bob