SILVER BUGLES OVER BRITISH BEAD.
242
THE YPRES TIMES
On the 29th the ships received the following message from the Admiralty
The inshore flotilla and squadron have played an appreciable part in the great
battle now proceeding. You have shown the Germans that there is one flank they
cannot turn."
Bombardment was maintained continuously until the 31st, and additions to the
flotilla arrived each day. Since the 21st, the following ships joined The Battleship
Venerablecruisers Brilliant and Sirius, gunboats Wildfire, Vestal, Rinaldo,
Bustard and Excellent; luckily the weather remained fine, for a sudden northerly
gale would have certainly destroyed the monitors and small gunboats.
The presence of the ships undoubtedly upset the calculations and plans of the
enemy, and less of their troops were seen, while more and more heavy guns were
gradually mounted among the sand dunes on the coast. As the heavier guns of
the enemy came into play and the firing became more accurate, it was inevitable
that the casualties of the flotilla increased. The 6-in. turret of the Mersey was
disabled and she received several shots on the waterline; the Amazon, when flying
the Admiral's flag, was badly holed; the Commanding Officer of the Falcon was
killed and 24 officers and men killed and wounded; the Wildfire and Vestal were
badly holed, and there were a number of casualties in Brilliant and Rinaldo.
It gradually became apparent that the rush of the enemy along the coast had
been checked, that the operations were developing into a trench warfare, and that
the work of the flotilla for the moment was donethe arrival of Allied reinforce
ments and the inundation by the Belgians of the country surrounding Nieuport
rendered the further presence of the ships unnecessary.
The monitors were ordered to return to their base for a refit, and so, with
riddled funnels, dented sides and worn-out guns, left the Belgian coast, satisfied
and honoured at having had the opportunity of supporting their gallant comrades
in arms on shore.
Each evening the Last Post is sounded by
the Firemen of Ypres before the great Menin
Gate Memorial.
On September 15th the British Legion pre
sented to the town a set of silver bugles on
which the call can be sounded. The Burgo
master officially welcomed Lord Granville, the
British Ambassador, and representatives of the
Legion from Brussels, Antwerp and Ypres.
At the Menin Gate Lord Granville handed
the instruments over to the Burgomaster, who
promised that they should be used in maintain
ing an unceasing vigil over British dead.
The ceremony of sounding the Last Post
is mainly due to the initiative of Monsieur P.
Vanderbraambusche, Commissaire of Ypres
Police, and his keen interest has given much
satisfaction to the British visitors.
