Ypres League Members' Memorial
to Lord Plumer
Ypres Pill-Boxes 95 to Remain
THE YPRES TIMES
143
ON November 1st, Lieut.-General Sir W. P. Pulteney, G.C.V.O., K.C.B., etc., Chair
man of the Ypres League, addressed a letter to the members of the League asking
each to subscribe 2s. towards a worked banner bearing Lord Plumer's arms,
the banner to be placed in St. George's Church at Ypres, and any surplus money
collected to be placed in trust to form a fund .to provide free education to a child at the
Ypres British School as a Plumer Scholarship.
So far over a thousand members have generously subscribed and to whom the
Chaii man expresses his very grateful thanks.
Members will be interested to know that the contract for the banner has been given
to the Disabled Soldiers' Embroidery Industry at 40, Ebury Street, London, and the
work is being carried out under Lady Plumer's personal supervision.
A special service, conducted by the Bishop of London, will be held at Ypres on
June 4th, 1933. The Bishop will dedicate the banner, and on Whit-Monday, June
5th, present the prizes at the Ypres British School.
Particulars of travel and accommodation in connection with above may be
obtained from the Secretary, Ypres League, 9, Baker Street, London, W.i.
IT may interest readers of The Ypres Times to know that arrangements have been
concluded with the Belgian Government to preserve some 180 concrete blockhouses,
shelters and dug-outsfamiliarly termed pill-boxes in the neighbourhood of
Ypres, as a lasting memorial to the prowess, self-sacrifice, and valour of those of the
British infantry who fell in the Immortal Salient.
Up to two years ago several thousands of these pill-boxes were standing in
the Ypres Salient and on the Messines Ridge, but since then the Belgian Government,
at. the request of the landowners, has been gradually demolishing them and a number
of well-known landmarks have in consequence disappeared, it was felt that slowly
but surely the time would arrive when none of these interesting relics would be left,
and following a special meeting of representatives of the British Legion, Toe H, and
the Ypres League a communication was addressed to the Belgian Government Depart
ment concerned with a view to the suspension of the demolitions. This, we are pleased
to state, was very courteously received and eventually orders were issued by the Belgian
Government for a total suspension of the demolitions and proposals and maps showing
the points it was desired to retain were requested to be submitted. The task of preparing
the desired information was very kindly undertaken by Colonel E. G. L. Thurlow,
D.S.O., of the British Legion, and as a result of his labours it is very satisfactory to learn
