The Vpres Times. 23
COLONIAL GOVERNORS AS MEMBERS.
Three Colonial Governors have lately become members of the League General Sir
James Willcocks, Governor of Bermuda General Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien, Governor
of Gibraltar Brigadier-Genèral F. G. Guggisberg, Governor of the Gold Coast.
Old Comrades and others seek communication with the following through the Secretary
of the Ypres League
Hodges, Lieut. H. R., late 1/5 Dorset Regiment.
Pamplin, L.-Cpl. Harry, late 7th Northamptons.
Many members write to the Secretary of the League for information and guidance
in personal matters. Though we have not the means to give relief in distress, nor the
organisation to obtain work for the unemployed, we are always very happy to offer to
all our members the fullest benefit of our knowledge and experience, and direct them to
the right course for the assistance they require. That splendid organisation, the British
Legion, is rapidly forming its branches everywhere.
44 NOT MY YPRES."
I, too, have just returned from Ypres, disappointed, like the writer of the article Not My Ypres,"
sickened, and disgusted.
This is Holy Ground."
What mockery Up to the very walls of the ruined Cloth Hall a huge fairroundabouts, side
shows, shooting galleriesis in progress. The main road is blocked with a throng solely bent on amuse
ment, of such a type that one wonders to what depths in the animal kingdom humanity may be falling.
In the evening I wandered to a little cemetery just beyond the town. There, in a flood of silver
moonlight, rows of simple crosses seemed to point upwards, asking heaven their tragic question Was
it worth while For, far into the night their realm of silence was invaded by a hellish cacophony
of machine-made noises, flung from fifty dancing saloons, as well as the fair. Coarse songs blatantly
shouted, not sung, and the incessant crackling of rifles at the galleries.
This is Holy Ground."
Yes, Holy of Holies. And surely tens of thousands of patient soldiers, lying there silently, rebuke
the revellers-unless the dead are more forgiving than the living. Was it worth while God knows.
But the world, in its mad, selfish, sottish onrush, quickly forgets the price that others paid, and cares
not.Graham Peel (in the Daily News).
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING.
The Secretary of the Ypres League announces that the Second Annual General Meeting of the
League will be held at 3 p.m. on Armistice Day (November 11th), at The Royal United Services
Institution, Whitehall, London, S.W. For tickets of admission, apply to the Secretary.
We are placing a large wreath at the Cenotaph this year on Armistice Day, similarly to last year.
SALIENT NOTES AND QUERIES.
It has been stated that Pte. P. Whitehead, 2274, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, of Chelmsford,
Essex, was the first British soldier to die in Ypres. I don't think this is correct. This soldier may have
been hit on October 16th, but he did not die until the 22nd. My brother died on the 17th, in the Rue
de Lille, but there must have been many who fell in Ypres the previous forty-eight hours. Cannot
this be ascertained D. S. F. (Oldham).
(We hope to deal with this subject in our next issue).Ed.
Can anyone give me any information concerning Corporal A. Davis, 10th Canadian Battalion,
who was killed April 25th, 1915, and buried somewhere north of Potijze by four English comrades.
R. D. (Kensington).
Is it possible to find any witnesses of an incident said to have occurred near Passchendaele when
a German crawled out of the enemy front line trenches and bandaged a wounded British soldier lying
in No Man's Land, after finding it was impossible to drag him out of danger Does anyone know the
name of the British soldier A. L. O. (London).
Note.The Editor regrets that owing to pressure upon the limited space of this the first number,
a number of articles kindly contributed have unavoidably been left over.
