The picture above shows a group of Belgian refugees for whom the Catholic Women’s League have found a temporary
home in Colwyn Road, at a house kindly lent by Mr. R. Finnegan. Reading from left to right they are : Miss Shipp,
who made all the arrangements for the reception, Madam Roman, , Mdlle. Marie Jeanne Roman, M. Roman, Mdlle.
Josephine Van den Heyden, Mddle. Octavie Van den Heyden, Madam Van den Heyden. Seated : Mdlle Marie Heymolen
and Mdlle Lucette Roman.
The unfortunate people shown in the photograph are the unhappy and innocent victims of the aggression of the Kaisier,
and the brutality of his soldiers. They are inhabitants of Malines, where they libed on the outskirts of the town, from which
they fled to Antwerp on the bombardment of the town. Mdlle Van den Heyden, whose brother is deputy mayor of Malines,
said that when the Germans entered the town they seized civilians and forced them to march in front of them as they
approached the Belgian troops. Little children were dragged from their mothers’ arms and bayonetted. The town families
came to Northampton via Ostend and Folkestone. They state that they have received every kindness here, and describe
Northampton as “grand.”
