History Information (Source: CWGC)

The British Expeditionary Force was involved in the later stages of the defence of Belgium following the German invasion in May 1940, and suffered many casualties in covering the withdrawal to Dunkirk. Commonwealth forces did not return until September 1944, but in the intervening years, many airmen were shot down or crashed in raids on strategic objectives in Belgium, or while returning from missions over Germany.

Aalst Communal Cemetery contains six Commonwealth burials of the Second World War. The graves are in the Belgian pelouse d'honneur.

The British soldiers on the same field of honor who died on 10 May 1940 were killed in the Stuka attack on the Zeeberg Bridge. A few rows to the back are still civilian victims of the Second World War. On a number of tombstones it can be read that they too fell under the aerial bombs and shelling.

Served with

• United Kingdom (5)
• Australian (1)

Served in

• Army (5)
• Air Force (1)

Typhoon Ib JP937 - 247 Sqdn

The Hawker Typhoon 1b of the 247 "China-British" Sqdn crashed on November 9, 1944, the 22-year-old pilot was killed. He had engine trouble above Aalst while transferring the newly overhauled Typhoon from Westhampnett to Eindhoven. Instead of using his parachute, he tried to land his plane. At low altitude the plane began to spin and crashed to the ground. The pilot was killed.