Skindles Hotel
HOTEL
YPRES
Episode
Splendid Britannique
YPRES
Branch at Poperinghe
188
THE YPRES TIMES
IN May, 1915 after the first gas attack some of the exhausted troops were billeted in farms
adjacent to the village of Outtersteene, south-west of Bailleul. Here a large number of the men
having recovered from the long and tiring march from the Salient, which all but proved the last
straw, congregated in an estaminet and, having pooled their finances, ordered champagne to the limit
of their funds.
The quaffing of the contents of the five-franc bottles served by madame and her daughter
greatly accelerated the reaction from the tremendous strain of the past two weeks. In a very short
time the hilarious crowd burst forth into song.
One fellow endeavoured to teach madame a step-dance to the tempo of a mechanical contraption
which emitted weird noises acclaimed by mademoiselle as Muzeek." Several men danced on the
rickety tables, causing glassware to crash to the floor. While onlookers fed five-sou pieces into the
slot of the barrel organ and shuffled and stamped their feet. This rumpus, accompanied by the vocal
efforts and the intermittent popping of corks, created an uproarious din which drifted down the
street to where the commanding officer was billeted. The C.O., an austere disciplinarian, forthwith
despatched an officer to investigate the cause of the disturbance, and put an end to the racket.
The officer needed no directirg. He straightway made for the estaminet, arriving just as madame
had mastered the double-shuffle and the terpsichorean tutor was turning his attention to mademoiselle.
Exercising diplomacy the officer persuaded the men to desist, and to ensure against a repetition
of the orgy, urged the men to quit the premises.
With the Muzeek belching forth at full blast, the men whose francs had rapidly diminished
ceased from their revelry and dejectedly sauntered out to the road. Here they gathered in a group
and debated the prospects of raising further funds with a view to visiting another estaminet.
At this juncture a horseman, at walking pace, passed the group of men, wheeled about, and rode
up to the disorderly crowd.
Men," said he, I was never more proud of this (as he tapped the red band on his arm, inscribed
with the word Canada than I am to-day." It was General Alderson, apparently still absorbed
with the words of the Commander-in-Chief The Canadians saved the situation."
Edwin Pye.
GRANDE PLACE. Opposite Cloth Hall
(Opposite the Station)
Leading Hotel for Comfort
and Quality, and Patronized
by The Ypres League.
ProprietorLife Member,
League
Completely Renovated
Running Water. Bathrooms
Moderate Terms. Garage.
ProprietorLife Member, Ypres League.
(close to Talbot House)
