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To understand it better you must have more information on the French period in Belgium. This French period started abt. 1790 and ended with the defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo in 1814-1815. The French army was composed of French soldiers and soldiers of all occupied countries. In order to get enough soldiers a lottery was created. Each year (February/March) each young man becoming 18 or 19 years old (I'm not sure about the right age) must attend at those lottery. If your number was a high number, you didn't have to become a soldier. If your number was a lower number, you must fulfill your military service. There was also a possibility for the rich ones that have to be soldier to find someone else to fulfill this duty.
The documents you sent, were about Pierre Verbeke, son of Alexander Verbeke and Victoria Anternois, born at Waardamme on 17/03/1785. Pierre Verbeke lived in Waardamme. Waardamme is a neighbor village of Ruddervoorde.
ú French 1.jpg - Certificate of replacement. The certificate says that Pierre Verbeke had good luck at the lottery of 1806 : his number was the number 136. So he didn't have to fulfill his military service. He was a man of good conduct : he hadn't had trouble with the justice department. The certificate shows also that he wasn't a volunteer in the army and that he was of good health. There is also mentioned other information on Pierre Verbeke. Length : 1,652 m. Hair color : brown.
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ú French 2.jpg - This is a copy of a register of 1808 of replacements after the lottery. It mentions that Pierre Verbeke of the lottery of 1806 replaces Pierre Vantieghem, living at Eernegem, of the lottery of 1808. The other information is about Pierre Verbeke. Length : 1,660 m. Hair color : brown. Mouth : medium. Eyes : blue. Nose : medium.
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ú French 3.jpg - First page of a register of soldiers (coming directly from the lottery as well as from the replacements) of the 100th Infantry Regiment camped at Metz (in France). Their commander in chief was lieutenant Dupont. I also see a reference to the "45", maybe it's a reference to the 45th Grand Army of Napoleon ? Of this 45th Grand Army, I am sure that it was in May 1809 in Spain as a family member Verplancke died there. Is it possible that seven months before 26/10/1808) it stayed in Metz ?
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ú French 4.jpg - Certificate declaring that a replacement was accepted. Pierre Vantieghem from Eernegem wasn't lucky at the lottery of 1808 : his number was the number 13. So, he must be a soldier. But he could persuade Pierre Verbeke to replace him : Pierre Verbeke had to fulfill a military service.
I hope this gives you more information on the four documents.
Sorry, it's not a full translation. This is not due to the lack of French but to the difficulties I have to translate it again in English.
Sincerely,
Johan
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