THE YPRES TIMES
245
Sunday morning was free to enable those who desired to attend Divine Service in
the English Church, others could be seen around the Fair, now in full swing with round
abouts, organs playing, showmen shouting, etc. Later in the morning the religious
procession wended its way through the streets with nuns carrying the various decorated
altars, firemen, bands and banners and lastly the Clergy in their brilliant robesa most
impressive and unforgettable sight.
In the afternoon, coaches conveyed us for a tour of the Salient, and the route taken
was via St. Jean, St. Julien with its Canadian Memorial, Tyne Cot Cemetery, Zonnebeke,
Gheluvelt, Clapham Junction, Hooge, Maple Avenue, Hill 62, Sanctuary Woodwhere
the preserved trenches with their duckboards and water made a realistic picture. At
Hill 60, the trenches and tunnels were entered and the tower with a telescope at the top
drew some of the more energetic for a fine panoramic view of the Ypres Salient. We
PHOTOGRAPH OF THE PARTY PRIOR TO DEPARTURE FROM YPRES
returned via Hell Fire Cornernow a very peaceful oneand so back to our starting
point.
Monday morning at 9 a.m. we set off again, this time for a whole-day tour as far
as Arras, passing through St. Eloi, Messines, Ploegsteert, crossing the frontier at Le
Bizet. On the Belgian side, a merry-faced Customs officer appeared at the coach window
and enquired if there were any on board fro' Yorkshire, as he had spent some time in
that county during the war. On the French side, things wery different and enumerable
formalities delayed us for a long time. A pompous officer made enquiries if we possessed
tobacco, cigarettes, chocolates; etc., but received negative replies. Our coach, in column
of route with other transport was unfortunately positioned half-way over a bridge
under which was stagnant water and the odour that emanated did not exactly remind
one of ottar of roses At length we reached Armentieres from which the notorious
madamoiselle originated, and near the outskirts, high across the road were two stuffed
figures, one of which was a female. This led to questions if that might be the lady, but