THE 16TH FUSELIER BATTALION

1945

SHORT HISTORY

The 16th Fuselier Battalion is raised at Bonsecours, near the French Border, on January 15 1945.

On March 13 1945 the 16th Fuselier Battalion is assigned to the 1st US Army,
and comes under the operational command of the 3th Us Army Corps.

Two days later, on March 15 1945 the battalion crosses the Rhine at Remagen.

	Bonsecours, January 18 1945. Initial training for the 16th Fuselier Battalion.
	Bad Honnef, Germany, March 16 1945. Capture of more then 100 Germans.

At Bad Honnef, 2 fuseliers are killed in action on March 17 1945.

During the months of March until May the 16th Fuselier Battalion cleares several areas
in the Rear Combat Zone.

They capture thousands of Germans, including a general and several senior officers.

	Summer 1945, Edersee, Germany. Fuseliers in front of the destroyed dam. The destruction of the dam caused the inundation of the city of Kassel.
	Ration Card of a fuselier of the 16th Fuselier battalion.

On August 4 1945 the battalion returns to Belgium and is assigned to the 21st Army Group.

The battalion then guards lines of communications until the disbandment on December 31 1945.

Certificate given to each member of the 16th Fuselier Battalion, when the battalion was disbanded in December 1945.

Commanding officers :
Major BOLLE from the start until August 6 1945
Major ROUSSEAUX from August 6 1945 until disbandment.

FORMATION BADGES.

A first formation badge was created during the initial training period at Bonsecours.

A heraldic shield with four quarters, two crossed stilts in front, and a count's crown above.
The upper two quarters, yellow and black, are the colours of the city of Namur,
the lower two quarters, black and white, are the colours of the city of Charleroi.
Most of the fuseliers originate from those two cities.

Due to the sudden departure to the Remagen bridgehead, the badges were forgotten in Bonsecours.

Only a small number of fuseliers had already received their badge.

A second formation badge was made by German tailors during the campaign in Germany.

A diamond with four quarters, yellow and black, black and white.

1st Formation Badge of the 16th Fuselier Battalion		2nd Formation Badge of the 16th Fuselier Battalion

Sankt Wolfgang, Austria, July 15th 1945. A delegation of the 16th Fuselier Battalion visits His Majesty King Leopold III. They were the first Belgian military to visit the liberated monarch. The man on the right wears the 2nd Formation Badge on his left sleeve.
	October 1945, somewhere in Belgium. The 1st Formation Badge is painted on the car. The fuselier on the right wears the 2nd Formation badge on his left sleeve.