The Ypres Times. 103 me back again. A Bosch shell had burst only a few yards away from me, ploughing up the earth as it did so, and distributing the aforementioned piece to my facial anatomy. I scrambled out again and did my humble modest bit towards driving the Bosch out of his position. But before we could consolidate our position, dig-in, or anything else, the enemy launched a counter attack, and we were forced to retire to somewhere near our original position. The next day we were relieved. It was not until we were well advanced on our way down the duck walk," for the last few days had been so eventful and crowded, that I began wondering about What had become of him Where was he I enquired of those near to me, but none seemed to know. There was no doubt about the matter, however, when we reached our bivouac and were drawn up for roll call.was there numbered among the missing. It was then that the terrible significance broke over me of the bursting of the shell as I had scrambled for the first time out of the shell hole. My portion was but a clod of mud over the face but poor's! I knew now only too well. was officially reported missing, his people were apprised, and they mourned long and poignantly for him, but always mingling their grief with a hope (alas! never realised) that he would come back to them. I could hear my own heart beating as I walked up to the artist in the Minster on that autumn day in 1923. I clapped him on the shoulder. I said. The man certainly gave a start as he felt my hand upon his shoulder, and turned his head in my direction. Then he turned his eyes into my face. My heart leapt. Yes, the face was certainly's but the blank, vacant non-understanding look in the eyes told me that not the slightest recognition of me remained on his part. I said again. t i But he just gazed at me with the same lack-lustre eye and then resumed his drawing. Realising that it would be useless for me immediately to try to arouse his recognition I went in search of a verger that I might perhaps learn where the strange artist lodged. But I could not light upon a verger just then. When I returned to the west end of the cathedral the artist had vanished. I enquired concerning him, but no artist or any man answering to my description had been known to haunt the church, and certainly no one of that kind had been given permission to sketch there. It is indeed all verv strange. ALFRED C. TOMLINSON M.A. MEMBERSHIP OF THE LEAGUE. This is open to all who served in the Salient, and to all those whose relatives or friends died there, in order that they may have a record of that service for themselves and their descendants, and belong to the comradeship of men and women who understand and remember all that Ypres meant in suffering and endurance. Life membership, £2 10s. Annual members, 5s. Special charges are made to those who cannot afford the 5s. subscription. Do not let the fact of your not having served in the Salient deter you from joining the Ypres League. Those who have neither fought in the Salient nor lost relatives there, but who are in sympathy with the objects of the Ypres League, are admitted to its fellowship, but are not given scroll certificates. There is also a J unior Division to which children of those who served in the Salient, also those who sympathise with our objects, have a right to belong. Annual subscriptions Is. up to the age of 18, after which they can become "^ordinary members of the League.

HISTORISCHE KRANTEN

The Ypres Times (1921-1936) | 1926 | | pagina 21