WEYLAND, Albert

Portrait of Albert Weyland
Registration Nr.:    320925
Birthday:    11.06.1932, Esch/Alzette
Father:    Nicolas WEYLAND
Mother:    Barbe dit. Berthe BACK
Service entry:    29.05.1951
Contingent:    2nd
Ranks:    Soldat de 2e Classe
                  Soldat de 1re Classe (1952)
Death:    11.02.2008, Esch/Alzette

 

It was not until May 1951 that Albert Weyland was called into the Luxembourg Army, where he served as a regular rifleman (“fusilier”). He later volunteered to join the second contingent to fight in the Korean War. Due to his merits on the battlefield, he was promoted to Soldat de 1re Classe. On 16 September 1952, during a mortar attack on the front position at Chokko-Ri, Albert was injured by shrapnel, which caused a long stay at a Japanese medical facility. An elaborate collection of photos, taken during his stay in Japan, and several calling cards of highly frequented facilities bear witness of Albert’s affection towards Japanese culture. 

Like several other Korean veterans, even though Albert was liberated from the Army shortly after his return, he remained eligible for field manoeuvres. In 1956, he was granted a free pass twice. In 1958 however, after the third refusal to report for duty, the Army pressed charges against him and led an investigation, which brought to daylight that Albert had organized, alongside other Korean veterans, a boycott of field manoeuvre call-ups. During a police interrogation, Albert argued that he had provided military service worth a lifetime in Korea.

"Bon camerade, courageux, calme sous le feu. A participé à 7 patrouilles comme tireur F.M."

Statement of Lieutenant Rodolphe Lutty in Albert's military pass. © Armée Luxembourgeoise