Menin Gate PilgrimageSome Impressions.
232
The Ypres Times.
in the work of reconstruction and improvement of the historic town, which suffered so
much during the war. In reply, the Mayor recalled his visit to Newcastle and expressed
his warm appreciation of and gratitude for the assistance which Newcastle had rendered
to its adopted town of Arras, observing that the help so received had been a material
factor in the work of reconstruction, particularly with regard to education.
J. L. D.
On Saturday, July 23rd, a party of about a hundred members of the Ypres League
assembled at Victoria Station, where they entered the boat train for Dover en route
for Ostend, to participate in the unveiling ceremony of the Menin Gate Memorial by
Field-Marshal Lord Plumer on Sunday, July 24th. Fine weather and a calm sea made
the crossing a pleasant one. The majority of the passengers remained on deck, while
others preferred staying below to talk over old days. An otherwise enjoyable trip was
somewhat marred by the erratic navigation of the ship in the endeavour to get her along
side the quay, which caused us to miss the train to Ypres, and, incidentally, to forego
our breakfast, a very important item in mere man's life! However, good fortune attended
us, and we caught a later train which enabled us to arrive at our destination in time
for the service, an event none of us wanted to miss. As our train approached The
Immortal Salient," associated with so many memories of high courage, sacrifice and
suffering, those of us re-visiting it for the first time since the War expressed astonishment
at the changes wrought in such a comparatively short period. Where once stood trenches,
splintered trees and ruins, familiar to Us in the days of the bombardment, now stand
flourishing farmhouses, villas and small hamlets the mud and slush have vanished, and
in their place the eye is refreshed by green pasture lands. The sole remaining signs of
the war are the German pill-boxes, scattered here and there, sad reminders of the past.
On our arrival at the new red-brick railway station, we had difficulty in locating the
Menin Gate owing to the rebuilding of the streets and the consequent disappearance
of the old landmarks and signposts.
A description of the impressive service at the Menin Gate will be found in another
column, so I need make no further reference to it here.
At the conclusion of the service, an evident Old Contemptible," wishing to cheer
up the spirits of those who had taken part in the ceremony, as well as his own, put his
head out of the window of an estaminet near by and shouted out the words Smile,
smile, smile! He then broke out into the refrain Pack up your troubles in your
old kit bag, etc." (Lucky dogHe had had his breakfast all right, judging by the number
of empty mugs on his table.) This raised considerable amusement among the spectators
even the gendarmes could hardly keep a solemn face, and a number of people joined him
in singing the song. Another amusing episode occurred at the Hotel Splendid
Britannique, where the Battles of Ypres were fought over again in deadly earnest between
the chef and the only waiter. The combat so affected the one and only waitress that she
fainted gracefully away. The critical situation (from the point of view of the starving
pilgrim!) was saved by the intrepidity of one of our numbers who, undaunted by the
raging battle in the kitchen, seized the food and brought it to the dining-room without
himself having received a single scratch in the encounter. This heroic deed accom
plished, he disappeared, leaving no name or address behind. Lunch disposed of, we
re-visited the Menin Gate for the purpose of reading the names of relatives and comrades
inscribed on its panels. After an unforgettable day we entrained at seven o'clock in the
evening, homeward bound.
The writer of this article sincerely hopes that the friendships formed on this
