The Ypres Times.
159
For the greater part of a minute the crowd, bare
headed or with bowed heads, observed silence.
Even the traffic, although no special regulations
had been issued, slowed down, and once again the
spirits of the dead took possession of the Empire's
capital to remind us, in spite of the din and stress
of business life, of their supreme sacrifice. A
sergeant of the Guards then placed the Ypres
League wreath against the southern face of the
Cenotaph for the Princess, and the pipers and
drummers of the Scots Guards slowly marched
round the monument playing that poignant, ever-
wistful melody, 44 Flowers of the Forest." The
wreath bore the inscription
To the glorious memory of over
200,000 Britons who fell
In the Ypres Salient, 1914-1918.
From the Ypres League.
Representative non-commissioned officers of the
Guards and other regiments which took part in the
Ypres battles added splendid tributes of remem
brance on behalf of their units and of individual
officers who fell. Dozens of relatives contributed
beautiful floral offerings too, and among the mass
of blooms were to be seen inscriptions from numer
ous societies and towns throughout the king
dom. For several hours after the brief ceremony
the public passed round the Cenotaph to see the
flowers and read their messagesand now and
again a woman in faded widow's mourning with a
child at her side stooped to put down on the rich
and perfumed bed of blooms a mere handful of
flowers of her own.
Her Royal Highness had driven to the Cenotaph
via Knightsbridge, Piccadilly, Bond Street, Oxford
Street, Regent Street, Piccadilly, St. James's
Square, Pall Mall, Charing Cross, Strand, Man
sion House, Cheapside, Holborn, Shaftesbury
Avenue, Leicester Square and Agar Street, giving
encouragement to the workers who were selling
cornflowers for the league. In Kensington High
Street the Princess was presented by Miss Millman
with a 44 bird's-nest in cornflowers; at the Hyde
Park Hotel she was met by Baroness Crichton de
Chasseron, who presented a cheque. At the
Criterion Mrs. Courtenay Welch (on behalf of the
Countess of Ypres) presented a copy of the new
song, 44A Corner in Flanders"; and at the Sports
Club Sir Ernest Birch presented a cheque. At
the Mansion House the Lady Mayoress received
the Princess, and presented her with a bouquet of
flowers and a cheque and at other points also her
Royal Highness accepted gifts on behalf of the
League. Several ladies made themselves responsible
for the organisation of the day's commemoration
and the sale of cornflowers, working indefatigably
to ensure success. They included Mrs. Peveril
Wilson, Lady Garvagh, Countess de Belleroche,
Mrs. Michaelson, Miss Bryce-Miller, and Miss Alice
Douglas-Pennant. Miss Landon led a group of
girls carrying pretty blue bowls, from which they
sold cornflowers, finding hundreds of purchasers.
Evening Standard.
Eight years have passed since, in the first battle
of Ypres, British forces stood firm against incred
ible odds, barred the German onslaught, and con
verted that corner of Belgian soil, as Lord Ypres
has said, into 44 the greatest graveyard of our
race."
There are thousands of poor widows and other
relatives desirous of making at least an annual
pilgrimage to the graves, and to enable them to do
so. the Ypres I-eague, of which the Earl is presi
dent, contemplates the establishment of a per
manent hostelry in which the pilgrims may be
accommodated free.
To collect funds for this purpose to-day, on the
anniversary of the crucial day of Ypres, thousands
of willing helpers in London and throughout the
country have been selling cornflowers made by
disabled ex-Service men at the Disabled Society's
factory in Old Kent Road.
Princess Beatrice, a patron of the League, drove
through London during the forenoon, from Kens
ington Palace to the Mansion House and back to
the League offices in Agar Street.
There her Royal Highness was joined by Lord
Home and the chief officers of the League, who
accompanied her to the Cenotaph, whore a wreath
was laid.
