Remember the Birtley Belgians

by | Nov 23, 2024 | News

Saturday 12th September 2026 11.30am

Everyone is welcome to attend our unveiling service at Birtley Elisabethville RC Cemetery on Saturday 12th September as we Remember the Birtley Belgians. During WW1 over 6,000 Belgian men, women and children lived in their own self-contained community in Birtley called Elisabethville, named after the Belgian Queen. 

Many of the men were wounded soldiers who were no longer fit for military service, but had re-trained to work in the National Projectile Factory to support the war effort. Today we remember the Birtley Belgians, and those who remain here and didn’t make it home. This project has been a collaboration between the Birtley Heritage Group, Gateshead Council and St. Joseph’s RC Church.

NEWMP is a non profit organisation and we rely on donations to help us to keep the site running and updated. If you would like to donate you can do so by clicking here. Your help is greatly appreciated.

The British Library is preserving this site for the future in
the UK Web Archive at www.webarchive.org.uk

Contact

North East War Memorials Project
Bilsdale, Ulgham, Northumberland, NE61 3AR

EMAIL: 2014@newmp.org.uk

Friends of NEWMP Signup

If you are interested in the local history of the North East and would like to support the Project, you can become a Friend of NEWMP by giving an annual donation.

Join

Copyright 2024, North East War Memorials Project.
Registered Charity No. 1113088

Exploring the North East’s History
Your Search Is Underway!

Please bear with us while we retrieve the information you're searching for. With access to over 1 million records, your search results will include Memorials and Names of individuals within the Counties, Districts, and Parishes of the North East of England. We've also provided filter options to help you narrow down your search. This may take a few moments, and we appreciate your patience!

NEWMP is a non profit organisation and we rely on donations to help us to keep the site running and updated. If you would like to donate you can do so by clicking here. Your help is greatly appreciated.