Name
Louis Tysmans
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Belgian Army
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
St Edmunds College Memorial, Old Hall Green
Biography
The following text was transcribed from the The Edmundian (1814-1819) – The contemporary magazine of St Edmund’s College:
In the year 19141/15 a number of Belgian. students made their appearance at the College. One of these was Louis Tysrnans. A student of the Petit Seminary at Ghent, below military age, he left Belgium with his parents in that sad exodus of a people rendered home¬less by the arrogant invader.
To come thus dispossessed to England, to a makeshift home into exile that should last none knew how long, must have been at best a harrowing experience. By comparison the adventures of a 'new boy’ in a school of boys whose speech and habits of thought differ greatly from his own, seem scarcely worthy of record. Yet the fact remains that the immediate details of life, the isolation, the possible misunderstandings, one's own mistakes and others' boyish frankness loom large enough at the moment, particularly when. the "new boy" is gentle and sensitive. Louis Tysmans was thus gentle and sensitive: too gentle and too sensitive to be unaware of all these things: too honest not to realize. now and then, that his companions saw in him the cause of youthful mirth. But withal he had an understanding heart: he had that rare quality, a sense of other people's humour and on such occasions his wide eyes would open wider with puzzled surprise, he would redden a little: and then, he would join in the laugh and good comradeship suffered no perceptible interruption.
Before long, however, the tables were in a manner turned. Almost at once his immediate class fellows, and very soon all who had dealings with him, came to recognise in him a boy of sterling character. As was said by one of his companions, he is so good without. being a bit goody. "And that sums him up fairly well. For he was a thoroughly good boy, and thereby, a great credit to his school in Belgium. He was not here long enough to learn very much; yet he was able, without suspecting it, to teach a great deal. There was his manly unaffected piety; his unswerving devotion to duty in whatever farm, rules, work, recreation; his unfailing quite good humour, enabling him smilingly to see, or to take, a joke; and his truly charitable presumption that where opinions differed, the other man's was possibly right.
Indeed, many of us felt at once glad that he was here among us, yet a little envious and regretful that not we but others deserved the credit. That he was happy here, as we have good reason to know he was, is no small compliment to St, Edmund's College; yet we could not but admire, and envy the petit seminary in Ghent, which could form students like Louis Tysmaus with his solid piety and his mature priestly spirit.
But he reached military age: and his third venture awaited hint. He would have hated it, as being a man of peace. had such not been the decree of Providence. As it was, with eyes suspiciously bright, and with lips just a little tightly compressed, he went away from us into the Belgian army. His ‘au revoir' proved to be his "adieu."
On September 30th of last year, in an engagement near Roulers, the major of his regiment was wounded: Louis went to his assistance, and while on this errand of mercy was wounded, mortally, by a machine-gun bullet. He was taken to the Hospital at La Panne, where for the next three days his life still hung by a thread. He received the last Sacraments with great devotion: his resignation was wonderful, but not really surprising to those who had known him for what he was. To the end of his agony he prayed aloud.
In his life he was a devoted member of the Third Order of St. Francis: a constant servant. too, of the Sacred Heart: he died on-the first Friday of October last, the fourth day of that month, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi. A coincidence if you will: who will blame us if we see more than coincidence here?
His parents and kindred - now home again in Belgium - are assured of our sympathy and prayers. The loss is felt among us to them it must be a thousand times greater, and they may be rightly nobly proud.
Acknowledgments
Jonty Wild, Di Vanderson, The Edmundian (1814-1819) – The contemporary magazine of St Edmund’s College
