The Cannonball Incident: Sunday 2 March 1793

In November 1792 Austrian troops had been defeated by the French near Jemappes in Belgium. The French then moved to the north and conquered part of the former Prussian territory as far as the river Rhine.

Early 1793 a company of approximately 50 French troops had settled in Broekhuizen, their only piece of artillery aimed at the village across the river: Arcen. The then residents of Broekhuizen did not like their French 'guests': they had to dress and feed these shabby and hungry soldiers. Beer, wine, meat, shoes, blankets: everything had to be handed over 'voluntarily' to the brothers of 'liberté', egalité et fraternité'.

At the end of February 1793 the French had been pushed back by the Austrians, Prussians and Dutch from the banks of the Rhine to the west bank of the Maas.

On 2 March 1793 Dutch and Hannoverian gunners and foot soldiers commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Pyll marched from Venlo to Arcen on the east bank of the Maas. Scouts soon spotted the French at Broekhuizen and guns were deployed to remove the enemy soldiers from the tiny village.

One of the first cannon balls hit the roof of the present-day community centre, the 'Brouwershuis'.

East wall of the church with the original cannonball.

In order to prevent the Hannoverians and Dutch from crossing the river, the French used a trick. Hidden by the woods west of the village, the French quickly marched towards Lottum. From there the company marched - clearly visible - towards Broekhuizen. Having arrived there the soldiers hurried back through the woods to Lottum again. They then marched along the river towards Broekhuizen. This procedure was repeated several times. Being confronted with so heavily defended a village, the Hannoverians and the Dutch did not venture to cross the river. However, they continued the bombardment and on the other side of the river residents had to take refuge in the church. Suddenly a cannonball smashed a church window and shattered the arm of one of the statues. People fled in horror. Later this cannonball was built into the east wall of the church where it has remained till this very day.