142
The Ypres Times.
KENYA COLONY.
His Excellency the Governor laid two wreaths
at the foot of the Cenotaph this year, the first in
the name of himself and the Hon. Lady Grigg,
and the second as Commander in Chief of the
Forces in the Colony. He was followed by wreath
bearers representing the Executive and Legislative
Councils, the religous denominations, the Nairobi
Town Council, the Convention of Associations and
all the public bodies of the country besides many
private individuals. For the first time a wreath
was laid this year on behalf of the recently formed
Ypres League.
HARROÖATE.
A very successful and enjoyable entertainment
was given by the Magpies concert party assisted
by the Deepdene Miniature Theatre, in the Theo-
sophical Hall on Wed., Dec. 8th. The concert was
in aid of the funds of the Ypres League, to enable
the relatives of the dead men to visit the graves
in France. The hall was well filled, and Miss Enid
Briggs, Miss Phyl Briggs, and Mrs. Briggs enter
tained admirably. Quite a lengthy programme
had been arranged and commenced with an over
ture, The Policeman's Holiday," introducing
Miss Enid Briggs, banjoist and entertainer, and
Mrs. Briggs, accompianist. The opening chorus
was Cheerio," followed by one of the most
amusing songs, entitled Most Unusual Weather,"
telling the story of the flood. Asking Papa,"
another humorous song, featuring Miss Phyl
Briggs, described the attempts of asking papa for
his daughter's hand, whilst Miss Enid Briggs gave
an excellent monologue, The Reflections of a
Penny," telling of its wanderings through the
world. Another concerted item was, Till the
Cows Come Home," preceding a musical mono
logue, Life's Circus." Miss Enid Briggs gave
a pleasing banjo solo, Follow Me," and another
delightful concerted song was, Crime," a very
humorous item which was much appreciated.
The audience were next introduced to the Deep-
dene Miniature Theatre, which had been made
entirely by Miss Enid and Mrs. Briggs, the former
making the stage and the scenery, whilst the latter
had displayed her art as a dressmaker of the
highest ability. The work was very much admired
by the audience, some of whom inspected the
work after the concert, and it reflects great credit
upon those who have made it. The fairy play
produced upon the theatre was Cinderella,"
played in two acts with three and four scenes
respectively. The two most picturesqe scenes
were The Fairy Glade and The Palace,"
and some melodious music was provided between
the scenes. In Acts 1 and 2 a gramophone sub
stituted the orchestra. The play was heartily
applauded, and the figures were dexterously ma
nipulated by Miss Enid and Mrs. Briggs, whilst
Miss Phyl Briggs unfolded the story.
A number of other songs followed the play,
including Is There Anybody Here," which was
described as a business proposition, and Thanks
Very Much." Another humorous song was
rendered by Miss Phyl Briggs, and a clever banjo
solo, "The Chinese Patrol," was given by Miss
Enid Briggs, a sketch, A Friendly Chat," con
cluding a very pleasing entertainment.
The total proceeds of the concert were 5 18s.,
and after a reduction had been made for expenses,
a splendid amount of £4 13s. has been handed to
the Ypres League."Harrogate Herald," December
8th, 1926.
IRELAND.
Under the auspices of the Ypres League and
Ypres Memorial Church Fund, an interesting
lecture on The Immortal Ypres Salient was
given in the Second Presbyterian Church,
Islandmagee (kindly lent for the occasion), on
Friday evening, 26th November. The lecturer
was Major George Thomson, D.S.O. (laf,e of 12th
Battalion Royal Irish Rifles), who needs no intro
duction to readers of this paper.
The lecture embraced the terrible fighting in
the Ypres Salient from 1914 to 1918, where such
names as Gheluvelt, St. Jean, Messines, Wieltje,
Bailleul, Kemmel Hill, and Paschendaele, will
revive many memories, bitter and otherwise,
which lend themselves to the word Ypres. It
was delivered in a most interesting and efficient
manner as it only could be by one who is familiar,
as Major Thomson is, with the Salient, where no
less than 260,000 of our British lads made the
great supreme sacrifice, not to mention tire
thousands of others who endured the most terrible
hardships for the sake of our great Empire and
humanity as a whole. The defence of Ypres cost
a terrible price, but it saved the Channel ports
and the Motherland at one and the same time.
Not a single German ever entered the town of
Ypresexcept as a prisoner. What Verdun was
to the French so Ypres was to the British. The
ordinary man in the street is apt to forget this,
but the Ypres League is out to keep this fact
green."
"The lecture was illustrated by no less than
87 lantern slides, 42 of which were supplied by
the Ypres League and 45 by Major Thomson.
The lantern and fittings were supplied by the firm
of Erskine Mayne, of Belfast. Mr. Alf Browne,
of that firm, and late of the Y.C.V.'s and the
12th Battn., R.I.R., proved a very efficient
operator, and no small amount of praise is due
to him for his very skilful handling of the different
slides.
The Rev. H. H. Macready presided over the
gathering, which was pretty fair, but the lecture
deserved to have a better hearing.
The Chairman proved by his opening remarks
that he had studied and memorised the different
phases of the defence of the salient and pointed
out that Wipers played a prominent part in
the great Marlborough's time as well as during
the time of French and Haig. He also thanked
Major Thomson for the able way in which he had
given the lecture. The proceedings terminated
by the singing of the National Anthem.
