On November 14, hero, liberator of the City of Pilsen, our friend, great and humble gentleman, Mr. Louis Gihoul, a member of the Belgian 17th Fusilier Battalion, celebrated his 97th birthday.

Louis Gihoul was born in the industrial city of Seraing (near Liège) in 1923. His father was as an engineer and worked his way up to a director in a steel plant. During the war, Louis Gihoul began studying engeneering. In 1942 he refused to go to work to Germany and joined the resistance. After the liberation of Belgium by the US Army, he joined the 17th Rifle Battalion as a volunteer, which was deployed along with the 3rd US Army. In May 1945 he reached as far as western Bohemia (Holýšov). After demobilization, he graduated and in 1947 left to work in the colonial administration of the Belgian Congo. He lived in Congo until 1962 and then moved to Canada (Quebec province). He has lived in Belgium again since 1992. He likes and often returns to Pilsen for the celebrations of liberation. Since 2008 he has been an honorary citizen of the town of Holýšov.

Source: Memory of nations

From the bottom of our hearts, we would like to wish all the best!