THE YPRES TIMES
29
CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS PARTY.
On Saturday, January nth, 1930, the Sixth
Annual Children's Party will take place at
Westminster City School, 55, Palace Street,
Victoria Street, S.W.i. which has been kindly
lent by the Governors of the School. The Hall
is comfortably heated and we look forward to
spending a very happy time there.
The Reunion is open free to all members of the
J unior Division to whom invitations have already
been sent. A limited number of friends will be
admitted at a charge of 6d. each. Those wishing
to attend should apply for tickets not later than
January 9th.
The party will commence at 4 p.m. with tea,
followed by a well-known ventriloquist enter
tainer, Mr. Douglas Craggs. Last year 170
came, and we are hoping to see an increased
attendance on January nth. To some this will
be the only treat- enjoyed during the festive
season, so we want friends to come forward as
in past years to make this annual event a success.
Letters have been received from those attend
ing past reunions asking if they may have the
opportunity of again being present, but this can
only be done by the kind help of members and
friends of the League. Some have made a col
lection amongst their friends and sent us kind
donations towards the expenses of the party.
The Committee hopes that all will support this
activity which has for its object the Promotion
of the Junior Division greatly urged by our
President, Field-Marshal Viscount Plumer.
The feature of the evening will be the Christ
mas Tree, and we appeal very urgently for gifts
of toys or donations which will be very gratefully
received by the Hon. Secretary, London County
Committee, Ypres League, 9, Baker Street, W.i.
The Committee ask that they may not appeal in
vain, but that all will help in furthering the
spirit of comradeship amongst the descendants
of those who we never forget.
DANCE.
At the request of many members, The London
County Committee have agreed to organize a
dance for members and friends on Thursday,
February 27th, 1930, at the Veterans' Club, 2,
Hand Court, Holborn, W.C.I, at 7.30 p.m., and
we hope that a large number will be present.
The Committee have engaged the Vernon
Dance Band for the occasion and tickets may be
obtained, price is. 6d. each from the Hon.
Secretary, London, County Committee, Ypres
League, 9, Baker Street.
Will members please book this date and be
sure to give us their support, as we are anxious
to make the evening a great success. An early
application should be made for tickets.
BROADSTAIRS.
An unusually instructive and interesting
lecture on the Ypres League," illustrated by
many fine lantern slides, was given by Mrs.
Briggs, of North Foreland House, at Bohemia,
Broadstairs, on Wednesday evening, October
30th.
About one hundred and fifty people were
present, and the lecture was preceded by a
selection of popular war-time songs played on
the gramophone and piano.
The speaker said the League, which was
founded in '1920, was established to form a link
between all those who had served in the Salient
o f Ypres. Its motto was Lest we forget," and
it had three main objects in viewcommemora
tion, comradeship and help. The membership
of the League was open to all who had fought
at Ypres and to all whose relatives or friends
died there. Their badge was that of a lion
guarding a gate, representing the British Army
defending the Salient, which was the gate to
the Channel Ports, and they had chosen for their
emblem a cornflower.
For over an hour the audience was entertained
by a wonderful selection of photographs of the
shell-shattered chateaux and churches of
Flanders as they appeared at various stages of
the war. Most of these, the lecturer explained,
had been rebuilt, and at the present day there
were few traces left of the devastated buildings
and fields which had been pitted with shell holes.
She went on to describe the misery and sufferings
of the Tommies in the mud and slime of the
trenches, and illustrated the conditions with
some remarkable photographs.
One of the most important activities of the
League," said the speaker, was to organize
pilgrimages to the cemeteries and memorials
for near relatives of the fallen. Over 500 poor
mothers, wives, and next-of-kin had been
assisted, and there remains sufficient funds to
defray expenses of seventy deserving cases in
193°
It costs on an average ^4 to take a pilgrim
over from London, and £5 if they are brought
from their own homes, which are sometimes as
far away as Scotland.
The speaker announced that she would place
a wreath on the Broadstairs War Memorial on
Ypres Day, October 31st.
She was heartily applauded for her lecture,
and a collection, taken during the interval,
realised £5 5s.
SHEFFIELD.
The Branch held its Annual Wreath-laying
Ceremony on Armistice Day at 11 a.m. at the
York Lanes. Memorial in Weston Park. In
spite of the shocking weather a large company
of members and friends gathered together.
The wreath was laid by Mr. L. Gumby, M.C.
(Hon. Treasurer to the Branch). The inscription
on the wreath read Laid to the Memory of
our Comrades who fell in the Ypres Salient,
1914-1918, by the Sheffield and District Branch
of The Ypres League."
Many members have not as yet sent us a sub
scription to the Wreath Fund. Any contribu
tions to this end will be gratefully acknowledged.
Will Branch members who would support us
by attending a Reunion Dinner to be held in
Sheffield early in the New Year, kindly com
municate with Capt. J. Wilkinson, Holm-
field," Bents Drive, Ecclesall, Sheffield.
