Six coins in a World War I soldier’s pocket got him discovered and shot. They also saved his life

WWI coins save soldier trnd 01

Optatius Buyssens was a Belgian soldier who fought the Germans during World War I.

His great grandson, Vincent Buyssens, just found out that he had six coins to thank for saving – and endangering – his great-grandfather’s life during the war.

Vincent Buyssens, who lives in Antwerp, said the coins stopped a bullet and saved his great-grandfather’s life. He posted a picture of the three Belgian francs and three French francs on Reddit.

“Ironically, the coins were the reason why he got shot,” Buyssens said. “It was the noise of them clinging together in his breast pocket which gave his position away.”

Optatius Buyssens was initially barred from the army because of a hip injury but eventually joined as a volunteer. He was shot during a scouting mission in September 1914 near Lebbeke, Belgium.

The German soldier who shot him kicked his head and Optatius Buyssens pretended to be dead. Once the soldier walked away, Buyssens and another comrade crawled to safety.

Optatius Buyssens, a WWI soldier.

Optatius Buyssens, a WWI soldier.
Courtesy of Vincent Buyssens

“He was very lucky since the bullet that should have killed him ricocheted off of the coins, thus saving his life,” Vincent Buyssens told CNN.

He said it wasn’t until recently that he discovered the whole story about the coins in a journal kept by his great-grandfather’s brother, who was an avid archivist. Buyssens said he received photos of the journal from a local museum.

Optatius Buyssens survived the war and died of heart disease in the 1950s, according to his great grandson.

“The letters were the missing piece that we didn’t know existed until today,” he said. “And they were kept in a museum just behind the corner.”

Related Posts

Stacey Solomon ‘not ok’ as she reveals emotional reason for decision about youngest child Belle

Stacey Solomon has shared the emotional reason that her and husband Joe Swash have made a key decision over their youngest child, one-year-old BelleStacey Solomon confessed to her…

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s public display of affection branded ‘nauseating’

Meghan Markle clutched Prince Harry’s arm and grabbed his face for a public kiss at an event at the Invictus Games, a oment some lauded as tender…

Adorable moment Prince Harry challenges boy to snow tubing race at Invictus Games

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, raced Hamish Greenstreet down the slopes in Whistler, near Vancouver in Canada, where the Invictus Games is taking place this weekPoignant footage…

Real reason Donald Trump won’t kick Prince Harry and Meghan Markle out of US

Donald Trump described Meghan Markle as “terrible” this week but the world leader confirmed he would not seek to deport Harry amid an ongoing legal battle over…

Loose Women’s Denise Welch rushed to hospital after returning from dream holiday

Loose Women’s Denise Welch has opened up about her recent health setback, revealing that she was rushed to hospital after returning from an idyllic holiday with a…

Escape to the Country star says ‘I’m going to become a father’ in heartwarming BBC twist

Escape to the Country star Steve Brown had a heartwarming announcement to share with viewers in the latest instalment of the BBC property seriesIn the latest episode…