Anecdotes        

Padré Vander Goten stopped by American M.P.

While Padre Vander Goten was visiting Belgian causalities in a nearby village, he heard that the Belgian battalion was going back into line, so he drove full speed to the battalion CP. During this trip, he was stopped by a very stern American MP who barked at him : "Do you now how fast you were driving?". The padre replied :"   I am Belgian and I have to be back in my unit, because they go back in line". The American MP queried : "Are you one of those who came voluntarily to this war?", to which the Padre replied to the affirmative. The reaction of the MP was very typical : " You must be crazy, drive on !!".

Jacky Van Tongerlo at the query of an American.

When the Belgians came out of the line, sitting on American tanks, they came through a Korean village. An American soldier asked : "Are these houses like yours in Belgium?" Jacky replied angrily : " I am from GEEL (*), man".  The American's reply was : "Is that where the crazy people lives !!!"
*(You must know that Geel is a small town in Belgium, known all over the world for the care of mental patients in local families.

Rik Thijs (+) and Rik Wouters on maneuvers in TURKEY

When Rik Thijs and his friend Rik Wouters had to reconnoiter a position near the IMJIN, they came in contact with a English captain, who offered them a piece of home-made cake, which they shared amongst them.
Many years later, on maneuvers with the 3rd Battalion Para  they were presented to a British general, who asked them about their military background. They told him that they sometimes encountered Englishmen while on the INJIN (Korea ). The general asked some more details and when they told him about the cake, he replied : " Do you know who that captain was? That was me!!".
Some small world!