Branch Notes.
24
THE YPRES TIMES
village of Blignytrim and newpeacefully reposed. A little farther and the little
village of Chaumuzy was reachedthe starting point of the most memorable episode
in the history of my old battalion. A little time spent in visiting the beautifully kept
British cemetery a short distance on, outside the village of Marfeux and the assault of
the hill commenced. Wending my way up the slopes (which in 1918 were covered with
standing green corn) now fallowalong the same route as taken in the attack, I
eventually reached the road crossing the hill from Chaumuzy to Chambrecy. Fronting
the road, where in the attack a terrific machine-gun barrage fell, now stands a beautiful
Italian cemetery with its handsome entrance and several field guns facing along the
hill. Here lie the fallen of the Garibaldi Division which relieved our 19th Division, and
the great number of graves give abundant evidence that the holding of this position
was far from easy. Another short climb along the side of the cemetery and past the
little vineyards on the higher slopes and I stood on the top of Bligny at the simple
grey stone cross(sheltered on one side by a few short fir trees)which commemorates
the sacrifices made by the 19th Division in May and June, 1918, and the recapture of
the hill on June 6th. What was then a region of carnage is now a place of peace and
solitude and the silence is broken only by the sound of childish laughter floating up from
the vineyards on the slope below but amongst the tall coarse grass can still be seen
many relics of the grim struggle for the supremacy of these heights of the beautiful
Ardre valley. A little time spent in silent homage and the laying of a token of memory
on behalf of my old battalion, and I retraced my steps down to my waiting car. Looking
back, my last view was that of a lonely sentinel on the skyline, looking down over the
final resting-place of many gallant Allies. Taking the road across the river and up
through the village of Bligny. a brief halt was made where it passes over the rim of the
valley. Here, on the roadside, are two cemeteries side by sideFrench and German.
A little farther and Rheims could be plainly seen in the distance and shortly the Soissons
Road was reached again at the outskirts of the City. After a pleasant, uneventful
journey, Amiens was reached in time to do full justice to an evening meal. A full
day, but one which will linger long in my memorv.
E. W.
INFORMAL GATHERINGS.
These most popular meetings are once again
i n full swing, and on the third Thursday evening
of each month, between the hours of 7.30 and
10 p.m. the members and friends of the London
Branch of the League are to be found at the
Bedford Head Hotel, Maiden Lane, and from
the ever-growing numbers, it would appear
that the change of venue is an opportune one.
Even now, with the increased accommodation,
the numbers are such that, at times the Com
mittee must begin to wonder whether it will
not be necessary soon to seek even larger
premises.
The old war time choruses and talks are ever
a great source of attraction, and even more so
is the evidence of the old feeiing of comradeship,
which did so much to help win the war. The
Ypres League stands for Remembrance,"
and this is never more in evidence than in these
gatherings, when ex-service men meet together
to talk over old times and sing the old songs.
We have been specially fortunate this year
in the excellence of the programmes which
have been given by our kind friends, and we are
very grateful to all those who have organized
them.
