85th Club Visit to Ypres
THE YPRES TIMES
THE second annual week-end at Ypres of the 85th Club was fixed for May 8th
to nth, 1931, and, as before, the entire arrangements were placed in the
excellent hands of the Ypres League, and de Trafford's personally conducted
tours are getting as famous as Cook's.
Looking most horticultural with our cornflower buttonholes, we paraded at
St. Pancras Station somewhat before 10.30 p.m.
The architect of St. Pancras started out, I believe, to build an edifice suitable
for a convocation of bishops, but eventually changed his mind, added a few railway
lines, and sold it to the L.M.S.
Tilbury, that home of shrimps and shipping, was soon reached, and, accom
panied by what might have been a delegation from the League of Nations, we
boarded the s.s. Alsacien.
For the small charge of two-and-six, Walter Taylor (our liaison officer to the
Ypres League) sold us each a comfortable bunk, conveniently built over the pro
peller, and, lulled by the soothing music of the churned-up Channel, we had almost
lapsed into unconsciousness when Dunkirk loomed up on the starboard bow (oh,,
very nautical
Dunkirk seemed different, somehowit was not rainingand we proceeded to
enjoy the next turn provided by the Ypres League by visiting Mrs. Douane," a
comic old lady who disclosed to an interested world the dreadful colour scheme of
Capt. de Trafford's slumber-suiting (these bachelors!).
Only possessing two or three hundred cigarettes and a half-dozen packs, of
playing cards, I got through safely, but Jerry Davies (who is furnishing his home
on the coupon system) had to stop and convince the whole Douane family that his
uncle was not in the export trade.
Hazebrouck reached and passed, more Douane stuff, and then Ypresby now
our spiritual home—and as we tottered through the barrier we were pleased to see
Padre Milner waiting to welcome usa nice gesture which we all appreciated.
Then the advance on Skindlesand eggs and bacon
Mr. Parminter had his cars on the spot sharp on time, and off we went 011 a
long tour that embraced Plug Street," Armentières, Hulluch, Hohenzollern
Redoubt to Lens, where lunch was servedand a very nice lunch.
Perhaps our waitress would not have been a howling success as a Nippy at
the Strand Corner House, but her habit of reflecting on life and its sadness,
between the courses, was very good for our digestions.
After this lunch-de-luxe, I would have given almost anything (even my Ypres
League badgein handsome enamel, threepence extra) for a long sleep, but our
party were too much like camels, who, as you know, can go through the desert for
three weeks without sleep (or is it without drink? If it is the latter, then it is not
our party 1 am thinking of), and my siesta had to be postponed.
Vermelles had altered out of all recognition-no brewery, no Clark's Keep,
no Bart's Alley; and so we made our way to Bethune, where we took tea. On
realizing that the tea was on de Trafford, we all had another pastry each!
Home again to Ypres via Bailleul, Locre, and Pop," we were just in time
for a much-needed wash ere Papa Skindles biffed his gong for dinner.
Then what a glorious evening! First we attended the ceremony of sounding
the Last Post" at the Menin Gate, and then returned for .a. concert at the hotel,
