TRANSFORMATION: THE SALIENT
REVISITED.
The Ypres Times. 5
Pick had often asked why in my frequent visits to Belgium since the War ended
I had never visited the Salient. I had always replied to the effect that I should want
somebody to hold my hand there. But truth to tell what I feared was the proverbial
roundabouts and souvenir sellers of Ypres and the curious sightseers in autocar and,
perhaps most, the crowded char-a-banc which I pictured descending the roadour road
near Kitchener's Wood, and the airy curious comments of its passengers.
However, at lastWhitsuntide, 1923we have been and seen and were astonished.
Pick had in mind staying at Ypres but I suggested Pop.," and got him to write and
get Major Sevenfoot," who was our skipper in the Salient, in 1917, to go with us. Friday
found me waiting at the barrier at Victoria, where I was soon joined by Sevenfoot and
Pick followed shortly after. After an uneventful crossing, though full of war memories,
we found ourselves at Hazebrouck, where we learnt that the Belgian railway strike was on
so that it would be necessary to motor to Pop." But, eventually, we arrived at the
Aigle d'or, where, after paying for our taxi half in French and half in Belgian notes, we
had a drink and proceeded to the Circle Catholique in the quiet Rue Bertin.
Saturday was a glorious day. We turned up the Elverdinghe Road marking each
familiar spot and recalling in turn events of 1917 and 1918. We were looking for St.
John's Cross and our sleeper road at Oosthoek and although I had alleged I knew a
house on the right hand side, we suddenly found ourselves at Dromore Corner. All the
country was absolutely cultivated all the strafed trees seemed to have gone and been
already replaced. Hospital Farm looked peaceful but, anxious to get along, we turned
towards dear old Dirty Bucket Corner." We photographed the old gun emplacement
near Dromore Corner," now a blaze of yellow broom. Here all was clean, cultivated
and rebuilt except the old Dump which was still one mass of shell cases, cordite, shell holes
and scrap iron. The old cottage where the old girl used to give us coffee was now a more
or less hideous red brick building and the new occupants were busy scrounging. We were
anxious to see In de gal Geboschen," the estaminet where the Field Cashier used to
function, and found it still standing, and at A.30 the Oosthoek Woods were as glorious
a sight as they presented in May, 1917, before the stunt." The sleeper road had all
gone and we found a party cutting afresh the drains across the site. All the war stains
seemed blotted outnot even a solitary shell hole remained.
We proceeded towards Brandhoek, alongside the woods and on to the main Pop."-
Ypres Road of blessed memory." Many trees of course, even here, had gone, but were
already replaced. A few remained though badly scarred and lopped and oozing iron.
The old mill dressing station at Vlamertynghe seemed unchanged and Vlam. itself was
wholly rebuilt. The church showed clearly the extent of its reparationa low estimate
would be 95 per cent. new. After a nice cold lunch at a place near the church we proceeded
along the switch road to Pottenhoek. There were no signs whatever of the sleeper road
to Salvation Corner," and we thence carried on to Brielen. Arrival Farm of windy
memory was rebuilt and smiling, but Brielen looked decidedly tattered. The church was
as we left it, a rubble heap, but the houses had been for a great part rebuilt. On past
Essex Farm Corner to Brielen, where the old mill we found vanished, though the farm
was occupied. Reigersburg Chateau, not much damaged in '17, was very badly smashed,
and only wanted one more to bring it to the ground. Our old camp was a lovely crop of
