About
My name is Filip and I was born in Belgium in a town called Zelzate, back in September 1963. I went to school and started my studies in Economical Sciences.
At the age of almost 17, I volunteered for a military career. I went to the 2nd Noncommissioned Officers School of Zedelgem for three years, near the city of Bruges. I left the school with the rank of Sergeant and a graduate in Social and Military Sciences. After that, I followed specialized courses to become Tank Commander atthe Leopard Group Tank School in Leopoldsburg. Once finished in 1983, I joined my unit, the 2nd Lancers Tank Regiment. I went to the Administration School to become military paymaster, and served in this job in several units, for example, the Royal Medical Service School in Gent or the Centre for Transmissions and Electronics in Peutie, until leaving the army in 1991.
Since 2003 I am a member of the Belgian Army Reserve, I continued my training and still do. Today I am a Master Sergeant OR8.
My Defense workplace is in Ghent, the Leopold Army Base. Several times per year we are trained in Host Nation Support, merely as Liaisons Officers, to support our Provincial Governor in times of disaster.
Besides my core business as Host Nation Support, I am also a member of the Bastogne Army Base - Bastogne Barracks, as an official (Defense) guide, specialized in The Battle of the Bulge.
I also partecipated in the Military Parade on our National Holiday in Brussels a couple of times.
My training as a Leopard Tank Commander
With my friends and colleagues of the Bastogne Barracks
NUTS DAYS at Bastogne - December 2017
I was always interested in jumping with a parachute.
At age 19 I did a couple of static line jumps, and in 2016-2017 I also did a couple of free fall jumps, at 13.000 feet.
Me, at my very first jump in 1982, in Moorsele, Belgium, from Cessna 206 airplane with CQ parachute, at 2500 ft.
Instructor says "OK!"
Taking a break after training, ready for my 1st free fall.
Independence Day, July 4th.
Since I left the Army as a professional Non-Commissioned Officer, I work in ArcelorMittal Ghent (formerly known as Sidmar), a steel production factory, member of the ArcelorMittal group. I am responsible for computer support, functional analysing and programming (C#), in the Steel Plant of this company. It is a very interesting job with new challenges every day and a very kind group of colleagues.
Other hobbies beside the Parachute Jumping are pistol and carbine shooting, WWII camping with the 'boys' and 'Millie' (my Willys jeep), together with my son Leandro.
"Millie the Willy" and our small wall ready for camp.
Here at Memorial Day, Flanders Field American Cemetery
my son shaking hands with the American Ambassador
the Honorable Denise Bauer.
About this website : Since I was a child, I have always been fascinated by World War II, from D-Day over Market-Garden to Bastogne, to the Battle of the Bulge. My hope was by making this website I could learn more on this subject myself, as well as maybe teach others about these events, especially the youth of today. I also hoped it could bring people together in a common bond of interests. Fortunately, it is already meeting my expectations with new people and discussions. Please do not hesitate to contact me or others who are looking for informationon relatives, or whatsoever.
Making this site is also a way to express my gratitudeto to those who liberated our countries during WW2... and is also a tribute to my grandfather Joseph, who was an officer in the resistance in WW2. He and his team were into sabotage and also rescued two aircrews that were shot down above Belgium and the Netherlands.
God bless,
Filip
