This photo shows Albert aged thirteen as he joined the order of the De La Salle brothers in 1929.
He stayed in the Order for 13 years during which he qualified as a teacher in the Flemish speaking areas of Belgium. He eventually taught in Antwerp and Brussels. There was a deadening monotony about life in the order but he survived, mainly by taking refuge in language and literature.
But something had to give and by 1941, at the age of 25, he had sufficient doubts about his faith and the Order to decide to leave.
He then found himself very much on the outside, in an unfamiliar country occupied by a foreign power. The monastery had been a sort of institutional insulator from the outside world and he became very anxious. Adding to his misery was the fate of his father who had become impoverished and was living off relatives.
Unfortunately, he became aware of the existence of a "sports camp" in Germany where you could sign up for six months. You got paid and your family got an allowance. He couldn't believe his luck.
He soon learned, however, that "all that glisters is not gold" and thus began his military career which was to haunt him for the rest of his life.
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