Nazaire Beeusaert and old Belgian toy soldiers

A long time ago I posted on this blog about old Belgian toy soldiers in my collection, produced by Nazaire Beeusart, who led a toy factory in Deinze, Belgium. 

Since then, I did acquire more of these old toy soldiers and even have tried repairing and repainting some of them.

Recently, I visited a local museum in Deinze near Ghent to see a total different exhibition, but I was pleasantly surprised to find out they had a display window specifically dedicated to the toy soldiers made and sold by Nazaire Beeusaert.

I visted Dunkirk and Gravelines

During the weekend of 8-11 November, we visited Dunkirk and Gravelines. These are located just across the Belgian border, so it was a relatively short car ride. Dunkirk and Gravelines both lie in the area that was once Flemish-speaking, still very much visible in the place names - Duinkerken and Grevelingen - but also many smaller villages such as Hondschoote or Koudekerke.

We did some beach walking and shopping, went out for some good dinners (gastronomy is an important aspect of all our trips), but of course also visited some of the military historic landmarks, of which some pictures are shown here.

As for the military nature of the Vauban fortress of Gravelines, I can refer to Henry Hyde's excellent series of articles in "Miniature Wargames with Battlegames", in issues 380-384 (published early 2015).

Me in the museum about "Operation Dynamo".

Monument for the fallen in the centre of Dunkirk.

Still visible shipwrecks on the beaches between Bray-Dunes and Dunkirk.

German bunkers, part of the Atlantik Wall.

Vauban Fortifcations in Gravelines

Gravelines again. It's somewhat difficult to capture the nature of the restorated Vauban Fortress when taking pictures from the ground and not from the air.

More Gravelines

November 11 in Gravelines

November 11 in Gravelines