The Ypres Times.
127
ULSTER MEMOR'AL TOWER.
Captain Stuart Oswald, our representative, had made adequate arrangements for
our accommodation, in spite of the enormous bookings for the many hundreds of South
African visitors to the town.
We enj oyed a restful night at our respective hotels,
and at 8.30 on Sunday morning started off in private
cars to Delville Wood, passing Pont Novelle, noted for
the battle in 1870, and Querrieu Chateau, the 4th Army
Headquarters in 1916.
The South African War Memorial is a magnificent
structure, and a very fitting remembrance of the brave
regiments of the Dominion, whose valour is so well
known to all.
At the memorial we were greatly struck by the
number of beautiful wreaths, that from the South
African railways, a model of an engine composed of a
small species of Cape white flower, attracting particular
attention. The Ypres League placed a wreath with the
following inscription From the Ypres League and
its South African friends."
At the conclusion of a most impressive ceremony
our party proceeded to tour some of the historic battle
fields. Soon after leaving Longueval we sighted Trónes
and Benafay Woods on our left, and passing along the
Albert Road, we came into close contact with the
Bazentin and Mametz Woods, Contalmaison, La Boisselle,
famous for its huge mine crater and finally reached Albert
where we enjoyed a good lunch. At 3 p.m. we inspected
the devastated Albert Cathedral, celebrated for the statue of the Leaning Virgin," and
continued our trip to Pozières, once the German strong-point of the Thiepval Plateau,
defended by the enemy with over two hundred machine guns. Pozières was captured on
July 25th, 1916, by the 1st Australian
Division, and a fine memorial is erected
to them here. We soon found ourselves
on the Thiepval Ridge, another veritable
German fortress, where now stands the
prominent Ulster Memorial Tower. Cros
sing the Ancre Valley, we arrived at
Newfoundland Memorial Park, where
trenches, dug-outs, wire and war debris
are preserved as a memorial to the
N.F.L.D. Regiment, which suffered so
heavily in the unsuccessful attack on
Beaumont Hamel on July 1st, 1916.
Their memorial, here shown, is exceed
ingly impressive and characteristic. We
returned to Amiens about 6 p.m., after
a most interesting tour.
On Monday a tour to Amiens was or
ganised, and the itinerary included visits
to various cemeteries by request of pil
grims who desired to see the graves of
relatives and friends. Starting from
Amiens at 9.30 a.m. we soon reached
NEWFOUNDLAND MEMORIAL.