Impressions by a Member who went
independently of the Pilgrimage.
IrfB Ypres Times.
91
Telegram from H.M. King George to Ypres League,,Ypres.
Monday, August 4th.
As Patron-in-Chief I am glad to learn that on this tenth anniversary of the outbreak of war, members
of the Ypres League are making a pilgrimage to the town of immortal fame whose name they bear.
In thanking them for their loyal message I am proud to join in this solemn tribute to the memory of
those heroes whose graves are in the keeping of our proved and trusted friends and my heart goes out
to all who mourn their dear ones.
George R.I.
His Majesty The King of the Belgians, Brussels.
Monday, August 4th.
This day ten years ago your Majesty's realm was invaded and the British Empire decided to throw
its weight on the side of Right and Justice.
Representatives of the Ypres League both British and Belgian gathered here to celebrate the
day and to commemorate the comradeship in Army which then began present their respectful salutations
to your Majesty.
Ypres League, Hotel Splendid, Ypres.
Telegram from H.M. The King of the Belgians to Ypres League.
Lundi, Aout 4, 24.
A messieurs les membres de la Ypres League, Hotel Splendid.
Trés touché de votre telegramme et de la confraternité avec laquelle les membres Britanniques et
Beiges de la Ypres League évoquent le souvenir des luttes communes, le roi me charge de vous trans-
mettre ses sincères et vifs remerciements pour votre attention.
Chef Cabinet Roi.
Monday, August the 4th, 1924.
To the members of the Ypres League, Hotel Splendid-
The King who is much touched by your telegram and the good fellowship with which British and
Belgian members of the Ypres League call to mind a common struggle, commands me to send you
his sincere and warmest thanks for your kind thought.
Ciief Cabinet Roi.
By E. F. WILLIAMS.
On our way up the line from Boulogne, the first reminder of the late War came at Audruicq,
where several locomotives bearing the old familiar R.O.D. sign painted in huge white letters were to be
seen standing silent and deserted in some disused sidings also on the journey up I noticed countless
numbers of biscuit, bully beef, and pork and bean tins still lying about in the ditches and long grass at
the side of the line, apparently just where they had been thrown years before, mostly I suppose by the
boys going up to Ypres. We had to spend a night at Hazebrouck, and the quietude and lifelessness
of these former back area towns now is most impressive, after the noise and bustle of war time scenes
to which we were all so accustomed.
It was with a very much out of bounds feeling that I strolled into the town that night, wishing
that I could see some of my old pals there, and join them once again in a sing-song round
some apology for a piano in one of the numerous estaminets. Aye, and the eggs and chips we used to
enjoy, pay permitting how we all used to look forward to those very rare visits so far back from the
line.
It was with a strange thiill that I first sighted Pop next morning, and then came the last stage
of the journey as we followed the famous road up past Brandhoek to Ylam looking all nice and
newand the roadside lined with young treesI wish they had left just one of the old shell scarred ones
among the newly planted saplingsand then at last Wipers."
Although I had read and heard of the wonderful progress which had been made in restoring Ypres,
I never imagined that such a desolated spot could be made whole again such as has happened during the
few years since the War ended. I am sure that there are now not more than a dozen shattered remnants
of buildings left in the whole town, and the newly erected houses, shops, hotels, and estaminets, are a
revelation to the eyes of any warrior who knew Ypres only as a huge heap of rubbish hallowed rubbish,
for all that.
We found very comfortable quarters at a small English hotel just through the Menin Gate, on the
moatside. Our window looked out on to the shell battered ramparts, and parts of the several footbridges
giving access to the tunnels through them were to be seen in the water, nearly overgrown with long rushes.
