Whitsuntide Pilgrimage to YpresMay 30,1925.
CORRESPONDENCE.
190
The Ypres Times.
A party of thirty-eight members and friends of the
League, accompanied by the Secretary, visited
the Salient during the holiday under its auspices,
and after a good crossing to Ostend in beautiful
weather, which continued during the whole week
end, arrived at Ypres about seven o'clock, where
they were met by our representative, Captain
Parminter. All present exclaimed at the tre
mendous progress which has been made in
re-building the townand the charming gardens
outside the station, with the fountains playing,
were much admired.
Sunday morning was spent by most of the party
in visiting the graves of relatives and friends in
various British Cemeteries, and many were the
expressions of gratitude and thanks to the gar
deners of the Imperial War Graves Commission
(all British ex-Service men) for the beautiful way
in which the cemeteries are kept, and the care
and attention which is given to ensure that
flowers are always growing at the foot of the
headstones. Several members of the party were
present at the Cloth Hall in the forenoon when a
wreath, in memory of our late President, was
placed there by the newly-formed Ypres branch
of the British Legion. (The Ypres League
wreath, as mentioned elsewhere in our columns,
was laid at the same spot earlier in the week by
our representative.)
In the afternoon a special trip by char-a-banc
round part of the Salient had been arranged.
Among the places visited were Hill 60 (still in
a state of devastation), Sanctuary Wood, Hooge,
Clapham J unction, Inverness Copse, Gheluvelt,
Kruiseecke, Becelaere, Passchendaele Ridge, and
Tyne Cot Cemetery (the largest British cemetery
in either France or Belgium), where the German
pill-box called by this name, and one of five
similar ones in the cemetery, has been preserved,
and the beautiful Cross of Sacrifice erected on the
top in accordance with the express wish of our
King, who visited the British cemeteries in France
and Belgium in May, 1922. The trip continued
through West Roosbecke, Poelcapelle, and St.
Julien, the scene of the first gas attack in April,
1915. Finally the party arrived home in time for
dinner at the hotel.
On Monday a similar trip was arranged to
Kemmel, Neuve Eglise, Dranoutre, Locre and the
frontier, crossing into France at Bailleul. From
there a visit was made to St. J ans Capelle, where
several members of the party had been billeted
on one occasion, but they found, as at other spots,
some difficulty in locating their old haunts. Then
through Nieppe to Armentières (rapidly recovering
from the ravages of war), where a halt was made
for a very welcome cup of tea. After tea the
return journey was made via Plugstreet,"
passing Hyde Park Corner and over the Messines
Ridge to Wytschaete and St. Eloi, entering Ypres
by the new Lille Gate, on which is carved the
British Military Cross, and the French Croix de
Guerre, presented to the city.
The League signposts (recently erected), which
were passed on the way, aroused great interest,
and the idea of permanently identifying all the
old spots by their war names was unanimously
applauded.
The touring arrangements for the party were
most admirably carried out by Captain Parminter,
who neglected nothing to make the trips both
comfortable and interesting.
The pilgrimage also owed much of its success to
Monsieur and Madame Kock (the genial hosts of
the Splendid Hotel), whose one aim seems to be
the creation of a happy atmosphere in which
pilgrims shall feel completely at home although
in a foreign land.
On Tuesday we left Ypres at 9.30 a.m. for
England, via Ostend, at which port time permitted
us to have a good lunch before crossing the
Channel again in beautiful weather. We eventu
ally reached Victoria at 8.30 p.m., regretting in
many ways that our happy little party had to
disperse.
To the Editor of The Ypres Times.
Dear Sir,May I ask for a little of your valu
able space that I may inform all Military Units
interested in the proposed Ypres Book of
Valour that they should address me in place
of the late Field Marshal the Earl of Ypres on
this subject Notices were recently sent to
Regiments telling those who have not already
contributed to the material of this book, that
accounts of heroic deeds that they wish to have
included must be received by September the 30th
next.
They were also told that in view of the imme
diate success of The Immortal Salient it has been
now decided to compile the Book of Valour in
the form of a companion volume to the first book.
Following the roads of The Immortal Salient, we
propose to fill out the map with incident and story
connected with each historic spot.
All replies were to have been addressed to
Field Marshal Lord Ypres, and the publication of
this letter will be the quickest way to get in touch
with the Officers so as not to delay the publication
of the book.
The late Field Marshal took a great interest in
it, and it is our great wish that every Regiment
shall be represented somewhere in this epic.
Yours truly,
(Signed) W. P. PULTENEY, Lt.-Gen.,
Chairman Ypres League.
