Henri van den Berkmortel

This memorial page is dedicated to Henri van den Berkmortel, one of more than 725 war victims connected to the municipality of Deurne documented by Stichting Oorlogsslachtoffers. The municipality of Deurne and the surrounding villages of Liessel, Vlierden, Helenaveen, Neerkant and Zeilberg were liberated in the autumn of 1944 during heavy fighting. Victims fell on all sides: Allied soldiers from countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and New Zealand, and German soldiers.

But the archive covers more than just the combat victims on Deurne soil. Residents of Deurne who lost their lives elsewhere are also commemorated: civilians who were murdered in concentration camps, forced labourers who died in Germany, people who were executed or succumbed to the effects of persecution and oppression. In addition, residents of Deurne who entered German military service and were killed elsewhere are also included.

Stichting Oorlogsslachtoffers has been documenting the story of all these people since 1995, without distinction of nationality, side or background. The goal is to give every person a name and a face, and to keep their memory alive.

Additional information

Son of Jan van den Berkmortel and Johanna Marianna van Kuijlenburg, widow Johanna Maria van den Berkmortel-Manders. Father of Johannes van den Berkmortel.

On 27 October 1944, the Germans launched an unexpected counter-attack from Helenaveen and Meijel. Residents of Liessel fled in great haste to Deurne and Asten. The Americans stationed on the front line were unable to repel this attack. The 15th Scottish Division, which had just liberated Tilburg, came to their aid. After heavy fighting, often hand-to-hand, including in the Dennendijk woods, the German offensive was repelled. For a brief time, Liessel made international headlines. War correspondents described the battle as one of the fiercest since the Normandy landings.

During this turmoil of war, many took refuge in air-raid shelters, including the van den Berkmortel family, consisting of Johannes van den Berkmortel, his wife Maria Catharina van den Berkmortel and their nine children. The family was joined by the parents or grandparents, Henri van den Berkmortel, his wife Johanna Maria van den Berkmortel-Manders and two neighbouring girls. Henri van den Berkmortel was killed when a shell struck the farm where the air-raid shelter was located; Johannes van den Berkmortel and his wife Maria Catharina van den Berkmortel were seriously injured in the blast and were taken away by a Red Cross jeep belonging to the Allies. During the journey, the jeep came under fire from the Germans near the labour camp on Kennelweg, and Private Kenneth Wagstaff was fatally wounded; Johannes van den Berkmortel later died in Geldrop Hospital as a result of shrapnel in his heart region.

Memorial card

Joint memorial card

Death register

Henri van den Berkmortel (standing, left) loading peat. On top of the peat cart, his son-in-law, Piet Boots, and his young son, Theo.

Henri van den Berkmortel with his second wife, Johanna Maria Manders (seated); Johannes van den Berkmortel with his sister Petronella van den Berkmortel (standing).

View all persons in the category: Residents of Deurne who lost their lives in Deurne