Easter Pilgrimage to Ypres? 193
THE YPRES TIMES
215
A PARTY of twenty-one assembled at Victoria Station at 10 a.m. on Saturday,
April 20th, and were greeted by our conductor, Captain G. E. de Trafford, M.C.,
who by his kindly attention made us all feel at home. At Dover we boarded
the new mail boat Prince Baudouin for Ostend, and enjoyed an excellent crossing.
Some of the party were making their first visit since the war, others had never been
and were full of expectations while those who had re-visited many times were just as
keen and felt drawn to this place, Ypres, by some invisible power which the writer
can fully appreciate.
We reached our destination at 6.45 p.m. and walked to the Grande Place in a
thunderstorm. The terrific crashes above reminded some of us of a similar welcome
by high explosive shells in days gone by. We were heartily welcomed at the Splendid
Hotel and made most comfortable. Dinner at 7.30 was much enjoyed after our long
journey. Our first duty was to attend the sounding of the Last Post at the Menin
Gate at 9 p.m. in memory of our
fallen comrades. Members of the
61st Division were also there
holding a short service of remem
brance in which we joined and
seeing the 55,000 names inscribed
on the panels made us feel and
realise the remarks of the late
Field-Marshal Lord Plumer that
"They are not gone from us, They
are here." Some of us walked up
the Menin Road and tried to
imagine the scene as we used to
know it and then to bed, tired,
but satisfied with our first day.
Easter Day saw many of us
about early, some attending one
of the early services in the English
Church, the rest of the morning
being spent by members of the party going and doing just what they liked. The writer
was much struck with the beauty of the Cathedral, the fine organ, full orchestra and the
singing of the choir during High Mass was very beautiful. Mid-day saw the visit of 300
members of the Surrey Branch of the British Legion who officially presented the
Burgomaster with a cheque for £400 to complete the endowment fund to ensure the
ceremony of the Last Post." After lunch, we embarked on a battlefield tour of the
Salient and the following places were visited St. Jean, Wieltje, the Canadian
Memorial which marks the battlefield where the Canadians withstood the first German
gas attack early 'fifteen. We then turned right towards the Passchendaele Ridge
stopping for a time at the beautiful Tyne Cot Cemetery and viewed the fine Memorial
bearing the names of another 35,000 who have no known graves. Let me add here,
that the terrible nature of the battles in the Salient needs no further comment than to
say that there are nearly 100,000 who gave their lives for their country and have no
known graves, these together with the known total some 250,000 officers and men. One
has only to stand in this cemetery to appreciate the dominating position held by the
German Army for three years. Our tour continued via Zonnebeke, Gheluvelt, Polygon
Wood, Glencorse Wood, Hooge, Maple Avenue, Hill 62, and preserved trenches in
Sanctuary Wood, then to Hill 60, returning to Ypres through Zille'oeke, Hell Fire Corner,
