Antwerp, Belgium - De Keyzerlei Rex Bombing

Small remembrance ceremony for the bombing of the Rex Cinema, 16 December 1944.

The worst disaster occurred. The "Rex" Cinema on De Keyserlei was full of people in the afternoon, nearly 1200 seats were occupied, all watching the featured movie. At 15.20 hrs the audience suddenly saw a flash of light cutting through the dark theatre, followed by the balcony and ceiling crashing down, a V-2 rocket had impacted directly on top of the cinema.  The destruction was total, the death toll was 567 casualties to soldiers and civilians, 291 injured and 11 buildings were destroyed. 296 of the dead & 194 of the injured were U.S., British, & Canadian soldiers. This was the single highest death total from one rocket attack during the war in Europe.