44
The Ypres Times.
CORRESPONDENCE.
(From, Sister Marguerite.)
To the Editor,
The Ypres Times,
SirIt may interest the readers of the Ypres Times to hear something of the present
condition of our martyred city, for the defence of which so many gallant British soldiers
shed their blood and gave their lives, and also to get some idea of the immense work
that must be done to raise up the town again.
When the Armistice was signed in November, 1918, our town seemed to be one large
heap of ruins. Here and there tottering walls of houses which rocked in the wind, and in
the very centre of the debris the gaunt ruins of the Cathedral and Cloth Hall appearing,
on moonlight evenings, like spectres haunting the city.
The first people,to return to Ypres built themselves wooden houses just outside in
the surrounding country. It was May, 1919, before anyone came to live in the town itself.
But from that time onward there has been a steady increase in the population, for our
poor exiles away in foreign parts could not resist the longing desire to go back to their
native town. The Albert Fund provided houses for them on the Plaine d'Amour
temporary dwellings made of wood, iron and concrete. By 1920 the number of inhabit
ants was 6,000, some of'these being jiewcomers, but most of them former residents.
Meanwhile, in October, 1919, the Town Council, directéd by the Royal Commissioner,
set to work to restore activities. Many important works were started. The streets
were cleared of debris to allow of pedestrian and vehicular traffic, and the few buildings
which were still standing were repaired. Even after this, we could see nothing on either
side of the streets but large heaps of debris and shell-holes which made it impossible
to identify various properties or recognize former places. All this had to be cleared before
we could think of rebuilding. About February, 1920, more than 3,000 workmen were
brought into the town from all parts of the country, and they set to work immediately.
The infantry barracks, which had been heavily bombarded but not entirely destroyed,
were repaired and various public offices necessary for reconstruction work were established
in it. Half the building is taken up by the offices of the Dommage de guerre then
an association for the relief of the aged and poor and the engineers' office for the re-making
of roads and bridges, which work is now proceeding rapidly. In the other half of the
barracks are to be found the Tribunal de première instance (Courts of Justice) and
the Registrar's Office.
These offices were previously at Poperinghe where there was not sufficient space.
Their being established at Ypres will bring more life into the town and attract more
residents. The Town Council, at present located in a partially-restored house, was at
one time accommodated in huts. We, Sisters of Mary, who all through had as our first
care the welfare of childrenthe babies toowere obliged to hold our classes for boys
and girls in wooden huts. During two years we kept 60 children from the Front whom
we had rescued from dug-outs and from overcrowded huts, or who had no school in their
village. Every day one heard of accidents from children playing with fuses and shells.
But once this danger was over, we kept only a few of the orphans learning their trade,
as we had by now 300 children attending our school.
Houses are still very scarce Merely 100 dwellings for the railwaymen were put up
by the town on the South side of Ypres in that part known as the Garden City, these
houses being like small villas such as you have in England then 150 on the North side
of the town for the workmen and by the end of the year 1920 they began to re-build
the Convent of the Holy Family, the Convent of the Sisters of Mary and the Convent
of the Poor Clares also St. Michael's School, now being used as the cathedral church.
But that was allthere was not much headway.