Memorial Service at Ypres.
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THE YPRES TIMES
The soldiers, who stand rigidly at attention, hear those names, but their
impassive faces give no sign.
There is silence for a moment, and then there is heard the note of Réveille."
The famous warrior has passed on. The organ commences to play Chopin's
Marche Funèbre.
I linger for a moment at the Warrior's Chapel, where the insignia of the late
Field-Marshal are displayed on cushions.
The splendid simplicities of the ceremony impressed me. At the risk of
being thought insular, I will venture to write that I think our people display a
singular sense of the fitness of things on such occasions. And then, again, the hand
someness of those English heads. There was one among the Abbey clergy that
would have delighted the heart of Holbein and would have set Dürer busy with
his pencil. The easy bearing of the soldier-men in their splendid uniforms was
another noticeable thing. There was Major L. F. Hay, of the Black Watch, so
tall that the famous Captain Ames of the Life Guards would have looked small
by his side.
My one regret was that there was no officer present of the 27th American
Division so ably commanded by that distinguished soldier, Major-General John
F. O'Ryan.
The 27th American Division served with great distinction under the late Field-
Marshal in the British II Army.
I was representing the 27th American Division, whose staff had some training
with the 39th British Division with which I had the honour to serve. The
THIRTY-NINTH DIVISION will always be remembered by reason of the fact
that it was one of the Divisions of the immortal NINETEENTH CORPS which
covered itself with glory while in the FIFTH ARMY in the March, 1918, fighting.
I went out of the Abbey tjiinking that it is a good thing for England that she
can honour in death a great soldier in so stately and in so moving a manner.
R. Henderson-Bland,
late Gloucestershire Regiment.
On July 20th a Memorial Service to Lord Plumer was held in the Ypres British
Church and conducted by the resident Chaplain, Rev. G. R. Milner, M.A. Among
those present were the Burgomaster of Ypres, the Chief of Police, representatives
of the Ypres League, members of the British Legion and British Colony.
A wreath was placed on the Second Army Memorial in the British Church.
