7.9 km | 9.2 km-effort
At the boundary between the spots known as Estrée and "Crinsnets" stands a modest stele that marks the place where, on 11 April 1943, an Allied plane crashed, killing 5 young aviators. During the Second World War, to reach Frankfurt or return to England, Wellington bombers had to cross the Himmelbett line, the German defence line stretching from the Dijon region to Jutland. On 11 April 1943, a German fighter plane took off from the base in Florennes and was directed by radars on the ground towards 2 Wellingtons. It managed to approach one of the 2 English planes. A merciless duel then began between the fighter and the bomber, and soon the Wellington flew over Chimay, pursued by the German plane.
At 4h20, disaster struck: the plane crashed in Virelles. The tragic memory of this accident lives on in the memories of many Virelle people.
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