I have made a selection from the many items I have in my collection relating to General Jacmart.
I would therefore like to dedicate this page to Chantal and Albéric Jacmart, who have sadly passed away, for their many years of support, friendship and guidance, and for entrusting me with all these items.
Born in Louvain on May 21, 1897, into a family of officers:
father, senior captain of artillery; grandfather, artillery officer, lieutenant-general, commander of the Military School; great-grandfather, lieutenant of elite cavalry, in the service of France by commission of November 11, 1754, who took part in the campaigns of Marshal de Saxe and was wounded twice.
In August 1914, taken as a hostage during the burning of Louvain, together with other inhabitants, by the 90th German infantry regiment, sentenced in the field to be shot at Kampenhout, then released; reached Mechelen and crossed the German lines, then Holland.
Left Holland clandestinely at the end of 1915 in order to enlist in England as a war volunteer in the Belgian Army.
War volunteer enlisted in London in February 1916, entered the 4th Chasseurs à Cheval in April 1916.
Student at the C.I.S.L.A.C. in CAMPAGNE in 1917.
Transferred to the 1st Regiment of Guides in February 1918 and took part in the charge of Burkel as platoon commander on October 19, 1918.
Citation for his 1914–1918 War Cross with Palm: Escaped from enemy-occupied territory and distinguished himself whilst serving in the field army.
Second Lieutenant of cavalry in December 1919; Lieutenant in 1922 and Captain in 1930.
Campaign of 1940, as Senior Captain commanding the 6th Squadron of the 1st Guides.
Prisoner of war after the capitulation, from 1940 to 1945;
Repatriated, after being treated in a Russian hospital, in June 1945.
Attended a course in England at the R.A.C. Center in Barnard Castle.
Lieutenant-Colonel on June 26, 1947; Commanded the 1st Regiment of Guides from October 1947 to August 1949.
Appointed Colonel in June 1949.
Commanded the Armoured Troops School on July 29, 1949, then the Armoured Troops Center on June 7, 1951 and finally the 17th Armoured Group in December 1951.
Appointed Aide-de-Camp to King Leopold III on July 22, 1950.
Aide-de-Camp to the Prince Royal on August 25, 1950; Aide-de-Camp to the King in July 1951.
Retired on 30 June 1953; appointed Honorary Major General on 26 May 1955.
In 1924, Maurice Jacmart was ennobled with the title of Ecuyer, along with his two other brothers.
Honorary Major General Jacmart passed away in Brussels on 21 January 1956.
