THE YPRES TIMES
219
Photo[J. E. Sutter, Colchester (Press Photographer)
INAUGURATION OF YPRES LEAGUE COLCHESTER AND DISTRICT BRANCH.
Memories of the Ypres Salientwhere the
flower of the British Army and Overseas Forces
fell in an inferno of death and suffering till
victory crowned a dauntless couragewere re
vived on the occasion of the inaugural dinner of
the Colchester and District Branch of the Ypres
League, held on Thursday, March 30th, at
the Red Lion Hotel. The Chairman of the
Branch (Colonel H. W. Herring, M.C.) occupied
the chair, supported by Brigadier-General F. W.
Towsey, C.M.G., D.S.O., Capt. G. E. de Trafford,
M.C. (League Secretary), Major G. C. Benham,
M.C. (Vice-Chairman), Mr. F. J. Collinge, Mr.
Hubert Snow (Branch Hon. Secretary), Capt.
A. C. Palmer (Hon. Treasurer), Mr. W. H. Taylor
(Hon. Pilgrimage Secretary), Capt. C. Rooney,
M.C., Capt. A. E. Leighton, Messrs. G. C.
Stanford, J. M. Finn and C.W. Cook (Committee).
Following the loyal toast, Major G. C. Benham
proposed The Ypres League." He recalled ex
ploits in the Salient, and how the nth Essex
Regiment earned the utmost gratitude of the
Commander of French troops because of the
magnificent work done in a difficult situation.
The Salient, he added, outdid all his previously
conceived conceptions of hell, and it was in that
Salient that a quarter of a million of their com
rades fell. The League was founded thirteen
years ago, and following the death of Lord
Plumera magnificent defender of Ypresthat
great soldier, Sir Charles Harington, had become
President. They sometimes read in the local
Press of certain youths and irresponsible people
who seemed to think that the term, King and
Country," had no significance. To all those who
took any part whatever in the service of their
King and Country, and were proud to do so,
expressions from such folk had caused more
amusement and pity than anything else. They
had a good answer, however, to what had been
said, and that was that the bulk of people who
called themselves British enjoyed meeting to
gether, forming themselves into such a society
as this, and doing everything they could to
foster and encourage those two great C's
Comradeship and Commemoration. In that
spirit he asked them to honour this toast.
Capt. de Trafford, in reply, conveyed to the
company a message from Lieut.-General Sir
W. P. Pulteney (Chairman of the Ypres League),
who commanded the Third Army in the war, and
who thanked Colonel Herring, Mr. Snow and
the officers of the newly formed Branch for all
that had been done and the good progress made.
The speaker voiced a tribute to the immense
amount of work Mr. Snow had accomplished, and
his admiration for the perseverance and enthu
siasm which had characterized that labour, and
gave a short talk on the League's aims and objects.
Brigadier-General Towsey, who proposed the
toast of The Chairman," said he supposed he
was the oldest member of the League present,
and he believed it was right to keep alive the
memory of the Salient, which was the grave of
many reputations and of many illusions.
The Chairman, who was accorded musical
honours, briefly responded, and he remarked
that he supposed anyone who served even a
week in the Salient were now pacifists, but they
were not pacifists of the King and country
type, of whom they had heard they belonged
to the other type of pacifists, and were deter
mined that if it could be honourably avoided
they were not going to let such a thing as the
late war occur again.
The artistes for the evening were Messrs. T. A.
Doe (comedian), A. J. Durrant (bass singer), and
D. J. Durrant (accompanist).
