THE YPRES TIMES
109
Owing to the heavy demand in Arras for anything on wheels, we had our doubts
about the planned tour, but here again M'sieur Vyner (who must have been a wonderful
scrounger during those old days) fixed us up with comfortable buses and we journeyed
through St. Catherine, past Roclincourt, by thje Canadian Artillery Memorial at Thelus
corner, then westward by the road alongside the Canadian Memorial Park to the Vimy
Ridge trenches and Grange Tunnels. Looking back over the ground occupied by the
British prior to Easter, 1917, offensive, we got some idea of the remarkable view that our
opponents had of our position. That battle gave the Canadian and British troops
similar commanding ground and fine observation over the plain extending towards
Douai.
Souchez and Notre Dame de Lorette were next visited. The wonderful French
Memorial, a lighthouse and a chapel, and the view obtainable from the ground evoked
exclamations of surprise and approval.
The next place of interest is Cabaret Rouge, a tough nut during the operations
by the French during the summer of 1915. Here we were shown The Better 'Ole,"
an elephant-ironed dug-out, where, we were informed, Old Bill and Bert had their
immortal conversation.
A late return to billets made us appreciate our evening meal.
Monday dawned dismally damp, but the skies soon cleared, and a cheerful party,
after humorous adventures during shopping expeditions, were en route for Thiepval,
and the ex-service members of the party were able to entertain the others with descrip
tions of the surroundings relative to their war-time associations. Beaurains, Mercatel,
Boyelles, Ervillers, Sapignies, Bapaume and Courcelette were places that claimed
attention.
As His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales unveiled the memorial, we stood in
blazing sunshine,
interspersed by
showers, and a
glorious rainbow
which appeared
at an inspiring
moment seemed
somehow em
blematical of our
feelings as we
stood reverently
before 73,367
names of our
comrades who
have no known
resting-place,
the missing
of the Somme.
The words of
the principal
speakers can be
condensed into
these fewOur finest act of remembrance towards those who fell is to do all we can
to ensure that there shall never be a repetition of those awful years."
On our return journey to Arras we visited Newfoundland Park, where the trenches
and various souvenirs provided an interesting half-hour. Then through Aveluy Wood
and Village to Albert, and while our driver remedied tyre trouble we examined the rebuilt
Cathedral and greatly admired the beautiful exterior and interior decorations. We
VIMY RIDGE TO-DAY.
