In 'Noten', as the hamlet was popularly called, there were many people who had fled Terneuzen because the town was under heavy fire. A large part of the German troops had withdrawn across the Westerschelde and left a lot of war material behind.

Curious locals took a look at the items left behind. Mistakenly, the Polish liberators thought the enemy was still there and shelled the hamlet of Othene from the direction of Magrette and Spui. In this fatal shelling of about an hour, 12 civilians were killed and many wounded. Seven casualties were from Othene, five Terneuzen residents who fled the area died.

The whole hamlet was present at the funeral in the Zaamslag cemetery.