YPRES DAY, OCTOBER 31st.
HOW YOU CAN HELP.
The Yekes Times. 139
THE TUINDAG FEAST.
The History of its Origin. By SISTER MARGUERITE.
Everyone likes to think about and remember The 8th June, 1383, an English army together
the dates of their ancestors. Storytellers tell us with the militia from Ghent besieged the city of
how strong they were and the monuments which Ypres this army was first 37,000 but soon
existed in Ypres before the war serve us as a became 57,000 men strong. The city was defended
reminder of them. The old reviews tell us that by their own militia, guilds, tradesmen and
they were also very religious. citizens. The knights of the town, small in num-
They left proofs of their strength and religion bers, but renowned for their great bravery, asked
erecting before the Belfroi the palladium of their for help from Louis de Maele and Charles VI,
privileges and their liberty the statues of their King of France. It is impossible to relate, bit
sovereigns next to their eternal protectress, the by bit, the story of the siege, many authors have
Blessed Virgin Mary. described this better than I can. However, after
An enemy had pulled down a hundred years two months of effort in vain the besiegers were
before their souvenir of piety and gratitude and obliged to retire on account of the near approach
the 9th August, 1854, was the day when these of the French army and the courageous defence
vandalisms were expiated and the Virgin of the of the Yprians. Before the English and the
Yprians was again placed in the middle of the men of Ghent finally retreated they made one
statues with the strong dukes who left so many last supreme effort to take the city,
remembrances. "For the Ypres citizens and knights," says one
The statues on the Belfroi were in pairs and as writer, "to resist some hours more was their
followsdeliverancefor the English an immediate
1. Phillipe le Hardi and Marguerite de success was their only hope to evade a certain
Maele. retreat."
2. Jean sans peur and Marguerite de Bavare. This tenacity must be maintained at all costs
3. Phillipe le bon and Isabelle de Portugal. b0th sides with the courage of desperation.
4. Charles le Temeraire and Marie d T orke. _.\s much as one tries to take the ramparts so
5. Maximilien d Autnche and Maria de much the other tries with great heroism to defend
Burgovne.
6. Phillipe le beau and Jeanne d'Arragon. (Continued on page 144).
A short time ago it was announced that it had been decided to observe the 31st October,
the Anniversary of the First Battle of Ypres, as YPRES DAY." This year the day will
be celebrated in London by the sale of Cornflowersthe emblem adopted by the Ypres
League for the purposein aid of funds for establishing at Ypres a permanent Hostelry
and Club House. This is one of the objects of the League. The Hostelry is to be the
Headquarters in Belgium of the League and a rendezvous for all British Pilgrims visiting
Graves and Battlefields. It will contain endowed beds for the use of widows and poor
pilgrims who cannot afford a hotel, and it will at the same time be a lasting Memorial
to the 200,000 killed in this our greatest Battlefield. H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, as a
soldier who knew the salient well, and as a Patron of the League, warmly supports the
appealjwhich is being made, and trusts it will meet with a generous response.
Will you respond to the call for voluntary helpers to work on YPRES DAY," as
a District Organiser, Collector, Typist, Packer; or will you lend your car, if you have one,
in order to facilitate the work of others
We are confident that all members, supporters and friends of the Ypres League will
respond to this appeal. Everybody can help in some capacity. Depots for the sale of
Cornflowers have to be organised throughout the country. Perhaps you can enlist
your friends as flower sellers. There is a job for everyone who is willing to work.
Please address your offer of service, stating how you will help, to the Organiser of
"YPRES DAY"
Mrs. O. Peveril Wilson,
10, Agar Street, Strand, W.C.
(opposite Charing fiross Hospital).
