Woodchopping platoon of the Orne
The woodchoppers of the Orne were 10 Flemish soldiers during the First World War punished for their active or passive involvement in the Flemish Movement in the Belgian Army. They were removed from their platoons and moved to a penal military unit called the Special Forestry Platoon in 1918. In this penal military unit, stationed in Orne, Normandy in France, they had to work as woodchoppers as unfree labour. They were required to work 12 hours a day in harsh living conditions, they were paid 1 Belgian franc each day.
The 10 soldiers were Paul Davidts, Alfons De Schepper, Karel-Lodewijk De Schepper, Pieter Dox, Ward Hermans, Maurits Geerardyn, Clement Ledegen and Frans Vannyvel.
The attitude of the 10 soldiers was defined as defeatism by the French-speaking military leaders. Fearing that the soldiers would desert to the German forces they were sent deep into France to work as woodchoppers.
