SIGNBOARDS IN THE SALIENT.
on this spot on the 31st day of october, 1914, at a
critical moment in the first battle of ypres,
brigadier-general charles fitzclarence, v.c.,
ordered on his own responsibility a battalion
from another division, the 2nd worcesters, to
advance and himself rallying a retreating line,
saved the day for the british arms.
this signpost marks the southern boundary of
polygon wood, known as black watch corner."
here on the iith of november, 1914, men of the
black watch regiment checked the onslaught of
the prussian guard.
from a line running north and south of this spot
at 3.30 a.m. on july 31st, 1917, the british army moved
forward and the third battle of ypres, which
ended in the capture of passchendaele, began.
the elevated ground surrounding this spot
known as hill 60 was the scene of some of the
fiercest fighting in the great war. it was thrice
gallantly attacked and as gallantly defended,
and after exacting a terrible toll of bloodshed,
was finally mined and blown to pieces.
The Ypres Times.
53
By UEUT.-COL. 'BECKLES WILLSON.
Many visitors to the greatest battlefield of the War report their perplexity in identifying
the sites of great exploits once so familiar to us all, largely owing to the natural reversion
to local names of those places which must ever be immortal in British military history,
such as Polygon Wood, Hellfire Corner, Salvation Corner, Clapham Junction, Maple
Copse, Sanctuary Wood and so on, which should have sign-boards.
There are other sites which deserve a more specific indication. At one point on the
Menin Road I should like to see reared the following legend
Then might not another legend read
Many of us would also like to see a signboard north of Hooghe
Many others will occur to most of us, e.g., one of the most famous sites of all-
The cost of erecting temporary signposts would be comparatively small. Later, they
-could be given a more permanent form. I suggest that beneath each should appear
the words Erected by the Ypres League," and it might well be for the units
immediately concerned to undertake their perpetuation.
