Dutch town honors Moroccan soldiers killed in World War II

The Dutch municipality of Kapelle held its annual commemoration on Tuesday in tribute to Moroccan and French soldiers who died during the fighting in Zeeland in May 1940, in the early days of World War II.

The ceremony, organized every year since 1950, brought together representatives of the Moroccan and French diplomatic corps, members of the Dutch armed forces, military attachés, veterans, and memorial organizations, local media reported.

According to local accounts, fierce fighting broke out in Kapelle as Dutch and French defenses came under pressure, leading to hand-to-hand combat and heavy casualties. After the battle, local residents helped bury dozens of fallen soldiers after the town’s mayor appealed for assistance.

Today, the French military cemetery in Kapelle contains the graves of 228 French army soldiers who died in the Netherlands during the war, including Moroccan troops who fought alongside French forces.

During the ceremony, participants observed a minute of silence following the sounding of the Last Post before laying wreaths at the memorial site.