LEAGUE SECRETARY'S NOTES.
76
The Ypres Times.
TO OUR NEW MEMBERS.
We welcome very warmly all who have become
members of the League during the past three
months.
You have joined at a time when your help and
support are of double value. The general strike
and continued trouble in the coalfields have
reacted detrimentally on all sections of society.
The League, in common with other organisations,
is badly hit, and each one of us must throw himself
into the breach if we are to weather the storm. We
appeal, therefore, to you to act as propagandists
of our aims and objects by distributing literature
and application forms (which will be supplied by
headquarters) over as wide an area as possible,
and to use every opportunity to enrol fresh mem
bers. In your work of recruiting, we would ask
you to draw special attention to the principal
function of the League, namely, that of com
memoration. Formed to perpetuate the spirit
of Ypres as a living force in the Empire, it keeps
alive also the memory of the great sacrifices of the
men who served in the Salient and of those who
died that England's glory might suffer no eclipse.
We are confident that your help will not be
denied us in the crisis of to-day.
TO BRANCH SECRETARIES AND
CORRESPONDING MEMBERS.
During the past quarter the League has had its
fair share of burdens to carry. The general
strike caused the cancellation of our Whitsuntide
Pilgrimage, which promised to equal if not exceed
in numbers the Easter Pilgrimage, a short account
of which will be found in these Notes. The con
tinued dispute in the coalfields seriously hampers
us in our preparations for the August Bank
Holiday Pilgrimage, which in its turn may have
to be abandoned if the railway company decides
against the issue of party rate tickets. Indepen
dent tours have also suffered considerably owing
to restricted services which discourage the under
taking of long journeys. As a result of the
economic situation in the country money is not
circulating freely, and subscriptions and donations
that in normal times would be forthcoming are
withheld. In another place we print a special
appeal for funds to meet the cost of the production
of The Ypres Times, one of the heaviest items
in our budget. We are confident of a generous
response from our readers to ease the financial
stress of the moment. When we next go to press
we hope to have emerged from our troubles and
to be able to proclaim All's well with the
League."
The third edition of The Immortal Salient is
almost sold out, and as the demand for this work
continues a fourth edition has been put in hand.
Our travel area now comprehends the Somme
district, we are fortunate in having obtained
the consent of Captain Stuart Oswald, M.C. (Hotel
Carlton, 42, Rue de Noyon, Amiens), an old
member of the League, to act as our representative.
Quite a number of lapsed members have re
newed their interest in the League, and we are
hopeful of recovering more in the near future.
And here let me express our appreciation of the
good recruiting work which stands to your credit.
Of the new members who have lately joined many
have been sent by Branch Secretaries and Corre
sponding Members, for whose achievement in this
important field of operations we are sincerely
grateful.
In conclusion, may I ask you to redouble your
efforts in order to minimise as much as possible
the losses we have sustained through the strikes
WREATHS ON WAR GRAVES IN FRANCE
AND BELGIUM.
Arrangements are made by the Ypres League
to place wreaths for relatives on the graves of
British soldiers situated in France and Belgium
at the following times of the year
EASTER, ARMISTICE DAY, CHRISTMAS.
The wreaths may be composed of natural
flowers, laurel, or holly, and can be bought at
the following prices 12s. 6d., 15s. 6d., and 20s.,
according to the size and quality of the wreath.
The above prices to include placing on the grave
and one unmounted photograph and negative,
post card size, which will be sent to the relative,
showing the wreath in position. For wreaths
placed at the request of relatives on special dates,
other than Easter, Armistice Day, and Christmas,
an extra charge will be necessary, according to the
location of the grave.
Applications for wreaths should be sent to the
Secretary, together with remittance, giving the
regimental particulars of the soldier, name of
cemetery, and number of plot, row and grave.
PHOTOGRAPHS OF WAR GRAVES.
The Ypres League lias made arrangements
whereby it is able to supply photographs (nega
tive, and one print, post-card size, unmounted) of
graves situated in the Ypres Salient, and in the
Hazebrouck and Armentières areas at the price
of 10s. each. Prices for photographs taken in the
Somme area may be obtained on application.
All applications for photographs should be sent
to the Secretary, together with remittance, giving
the regimental particulars of the soldier, name of
cemetery, and number of plot, row and grave.
EMBROIDERED BADGES.
We are pleased to announce that these badges
can now be supplied at 4s. each, post free. A
considerable number have already been sold, and
we are delighted to hear that the badges have
given entire satisfaction to our members who have
received them. Applications to the Secretary.
