Gustav and Hortense Romain of Bouffioulx, Belgium

In 1956 my grandfather Joe wrote, for his grandchildren, stories about his ancestors and his World War 1 experiences. I have been reviewing his writings over recent weeks and done a little research into some of the characters he has written about.
After Armistice, while waiting for troop ships to become available to take all the Diggers home he billeted with a young couple in the town of Bouffioulx in Belgium. Their names were Gustav and Hortense Romain and he stayed with them for about 3 months. He said they were younger than him and he was born 24 Nov 1896. The only other details I have is that Hortense had a much younger sister Renee and another sister Josephine who married during the time Joe was staying with them.
I have done a little research and believe that Gustav died at Einsingen in Germany on 20 Mar 1945, having entered Dachau Concentration Camp on 9 Oct 1942 as an inmate. He is buried at Konzentrationslager Dachau, which seems a little strange as it is a long way from Einsingen in Hesse. These records show Gustav as born 13 Jun 1898 in Bouffioulx.
I found what seems to be Hortense and two little boys travelling in 1926 on a ship named Arundel Castle from Southhampton England to the Belgian Congo. The ship departed Southhampton on 2 Jul 1926 and was bound for South Africa. The little boys listed on the ships records were Mariel b 1920 and Maurice b 1923 in Belgium while Hortense was b 1902. I wonder why she was travelling there, especially as the record she was going to the Congo as a permanent resident? Was Gustav already there working?
I found a Mariel Romani arriving New York aboard a ship named Laurent Meuss on 1 Apr 1943 as a 3rd Engineer member of crew with 5 years experience at sea.
And a Maurice Romain of about the right age died in Pembroke Ontario in Feb 2002.
So more questions than answers. Why did Gustav end up in Dachau as a Belgian prisoner? If Hortense and the boys got to the Belgian Congo what happened to them after that? And if Gustav was with them too when did the family return to Belgium, the Dachau records say his last residence was in Erquelinnes, Belgium? Did Mariel survive WW2 as a merchant seaman? And how did Maurice end up in Ontario?
Any help in answering these questions will be much appreciated.

 

Thanks Chimp. What a great site is that stevemorse.org

 

I have discovered that Gustav did go to the Congo : he departed Southampton on 4 Sep 1925 aboard Edinburgh Castle, travelling to Congo via Capetown. His Occupation was given as ‘adjuster’ whatever that is, whereas on the Dachau inmate records his occupation was listed as mechanic.

 

I tried to use the Belgian archives website and search engines, however despite the fact that they had some pages translated to English their search fields and instructions were not translated to English. It looks like a pretty good site I just can’t understand it.

 

Hi,

In reference to Maurice in the "Obituary Daily Times Index" d. 2002 Pembroke, Ontario.

The obituary would have appeared in the Pembroke Daily Observer (defunct as of 2018) The Observer would have covered a large rural area, including parts of Quebec that is just across the river.

Having said that, it's possible that Maurice was a locally born chap.
This Maurice was born in Chapeau, Quebec in 1919, appears on the 1921 Canadian census (transcribed as Raymond) in Chapeau with his parents William A. Romain and Rose Anna Labine and is buried in Chapeau. According to his gravestone, 1919-2002 he served with the Canadian Forestry Corps. WW2.

Just something to consider.

D

 

With the Dachau Records, it says he arrived 9 Oct. 1942 and was transferred to Natzweiler 23 April 1944.

With his death record under Lagerstandesmat Natzweiler-Struthof,
Der Mechanicker Gustav Romain d. 20 March 1945 "Ensingen Kreis, Vaihingen an der enz", and "magenbeschwerden" (stomach complaints I think). The record is dated 16 December 1955

With the help of Wikipedia, Natzweiler was evacuated in Sept. 1944 (Allied Armies neared) and was liberated Nov. 1944. It's possible Gustav was then transferred to Vaihingen.

Vaihingen was evacuated in the early fall of 1944, some slave labourers were retained. It became a camp for sick prisoners, and over 2,000 were transferred there between Nov. 1944 and March 1945. It was liberated 7 April 1945. There was a memorial cemetery near the camp, but according to Find A Grave, in the 1960's the Bavarian government closed other concentration camp cemeteries and relocated them to Dachau.

D

 

Thanks for the clarification. I had looked at entries for Maurice who was born 1919 in Chapeau and died 2002 in Chapeau but did not think the obituary I found related to him. Normally I would have looked up the places on Google Maps but did not this time for some reason. I see now that the same obituary has been attached to the Quebec born Maurice.

I have sent a message to the Belgian archives asking if they can assist but imagine that if they do, it will cost, which I am not likely to do. Meanwhile I am wracking my brain for Dutch speaking friends and acquaintances.