Monument

Terp Church in Urmond

The Netherlands

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Urmond's terp church dates from the end of the 18th century and has a turbulent war history. Two of the three church bells were stolen by the German occupiers on 23 December 1942 because they needed metal to make weapons. One of the bells, the Sancta Maria from 1506, was returned safely after the liberation in November 1944.

Three weeks earlier, the church had been lightly hit by an accidental American bombardment. Adverse weather hampered visibility and, as a result, the bombers dropped part of their load in the vicinity of the liberated village of Urmond instead of nearby Roermond. There were no casualties and though there was some damage, it was quickly repaired.

 Three war victims from Urmond are buried in the cemetery. Two of them served in the army and died in May 1940: 26-year-old Piet Breuls and 20-year-old Funs Leers. The third victim, 27-year-old Sjeng Tholen, was a member of the resistance. His cousin, Jean Tholen, recounted: "My father's brother was arrested for distributing pamphlets. Passing through Vught, he ended up in Mauthausen concentration camp. It is believed that he died of exhaustion."

Address

Grotestraat 26, 6129 CP Urmond