Strydonck de Burkel, General Victor van

1876–1953

   A distinguished veteran of World War I, Strydonck de Burkel was Commander in Chief of the Free Belgian Forces throughout the war. He commanded the First Military Area from September 1939 until the fall of Belgium in May 1940 after which he went to Britain to command the Free Belgian Forces. He returned to Belgium in September 1944 after the liberation as head of the Belgian Military Mission to the Supreme Headquarters of Allied Expeditionary Force, later becoming Chairman of the Belgian ex-Serviceman’s association. He was a competent leader who worked closely with his governmentin- exile.