43 K.S.L.I. WREATH. VLAMERTINGHE CEMETERY. chums who knew we had come to them, back through the years, to show we had not for gotten; back proudly to claim kinship with those who passed over in the Great Adventure He giveth His beloved sleep quietly, and with hearts full of emotion, we pro ceeded with the little ceremony. A wreath in the form of a K.S.L.I, cap badge was laid on the Stone of Remembrance. The words of The Supreme Sacrifice followed These were His servants, in His steps they trod, following to death the Martyred Son of God." A few brief prayers: "O Lord, support us all the day long in this troublous life, until the shades lengthen, and the evening comes." Yes, the evening is coming for us, but not for them. They shall not grow old as we that are left grow old." The service over, we knelt in silence, then, standing erect, did we not feel better men for our contact with the dear old pals of the dark years of trial? We footslogged the old Pop' road back to Ypres, and noticed that the old camouflage wires were still stretched between some of the trees. To complete our battlefield Sunday, we attended Evensong at St. George's Church, the Bishop of Swansea being the preacher. On Monday morning, having made up a party of four, we travelled down the line to Vimy Ridge and Arras. Travelling outwards, we stopped at Merville Communal Cemetery to visit the grave of our battalion's first fatal casualtySergt. Stan. Williams, who was really a lovable character. An officer of the regiment wrote of him Let every mother tell her child How, dying, Williams passed and smiled And as the stretcher bore him west, He faced his comrades with a jest, And showed with what a courage high A Shropshire boy could laugh and die." Arriving at Vimy Ridge about midday, by way of that village of terrible memory, Souchez, we spent an interesting time in the tunnels and trenches, both German and British. Here, in the British tunnels, one may still see jack-knife sculpture and pencilled names, and remarks of British Tommies during .their occu pation. The Canadian Government are to be congratulated on this magnificent memorial. We spent an hour or so in Arras, and then returned along the old front line, passing through such well-known spots as Fleurbaix, Lavantie, Neuve Chapelle, Rouge Croix, La Bassée Road, Aubers Ridgethe latter place being the objective of our division in September, 1915. Tuesday morning found us at Essex Farm, where we received our first taste of Salient existence in February, 1916. I nearly said life." Having visited the beautiful cemetery here, we entered the new edition of Essex Farm, and, over a welcome drink, had an interesting chat with the poor old lady who fled from this

HISTORISCHE KRANTEN

The Ypres Times (1921-1936) | 1930 | | pagina 13