Institut Saint-Ferdinand Jemappes

Avenue Maréchal Foch, in Jemappes, was a main retreat route for German troops returning from France via Valenciennes. American aircraft strafed and bombed the retreating columns, with devastating effects on the tanks. In the background, we can see the Saint-Ferdinand Institute, partly converted into a field hospital. 

<p>During the Occupation, the premises had already been requisitioned by the German army to house a hospital belonging to the 617th Field Hospital. This unit had been based in Arras, Lille and Lens since the invasion of May 1940. With a capacity of 1,000 beds, it was refocused on the Franco-Belgian border in February 1942. The headquarters remained in Lille, while its branches moved to Jemappes, Ghent and Cambrai.</p>

Un hôpital militaire à l’institut Saint-Ferdinand