216 The Ypres Times. Church of Ireland, who was Principal Chaplain to the British Armies in France and Flanders, delivered three prayers for the occasion. The hymn Now thank we all our God," followed, and Bishop Gwynne then gave the benediction. There followed some prayers addressed especially to the Roman Catholics in the assemblage by Bishop W. Keatinge, Roman Catholic Bishop in Ordinary for the British Army, and the Royal Air Force, before the Iyast Post was impressively sounded by buglers of the 2nd Battalion, the Somerset Right Infantryand then the pipers of the 1st Battalion Scots Guards played the lament, The Flowers of the Forest." The pipers were posted high up above the ramparts on a wing of the Gateway, and as the lovely music floated down to us it was singularly moving. Then came a terrible minute of silencea silence so absolute that it seemed as if the whole Salient must be standing hushed in prayer, the only sound audible being the faint click from somewhere far away of a horse's hoofs on the stones. As always, before the long minute was up it grew almost unendurable, and the crash of bugles in the Photo] [Lilywhite Ltd., Triangle. UNVEIEING OF THE MENIN GATE MEMORIAE. Reveille came as an immense relief. The Braba^onne was played, and then came a quite ineffaceable moment when once again the roll of British drums went out from the Menin Gate and the company sang God Save The King." At the close of the service King Albert came forward and placed a large wreath of scarlet antheriums and pink roses at the foot of one of the pillars of the Gateway. A wreath was then deposited by Rord Plumer on behalf of King George and one by Sir Raming Worthing ton-Evans for the British Government. Wreaths were also placed for the mothers of the unknown dead, for India, the Dominions, the Navy, the Army Council and the Royal Air Force. Then came the bearers of unofficial wreaths until the base of both sides and the whole interior of the 40 yards long Gateway was lined with a bank of flowers. After the King's departure the great procession flowed through the Gate. The monument itself in its mass and simplicity is a noble thing. It is difficult to

HISTORISCHE KRANTEN

The Ypres Times (1921-1936) | 1927 | | pagina 6