18
"Yes, till the boys come home we will keep the old fires burning in us and by them who
marched we march in this hour."
The "Lament" was finely played by the Pipers of the Scots Guards, and after
a short silence the "Last Post" was sounded followed by the hymn "Oh God our help
in ages past," the National Anthem and Réveillé.
The march to the Cenotaph was headed by Major E. Montague Jones, O.B.E.,
the Commandant of the Parade followed by the band of the 1st Surrey Rifles; O.T.C.
and T.A. Units; Old Contemptibles; members of the Ypres League, 85th Club and St.
Dunstan's. The wreath bearers were Lieut. Michael O'Leary, V.C., and Sergeant
O. Brooks, V.C.
At the Nation's shrine, the Dowager Viscountess Plumer accepted the wreath
from His Excellency The Belgian Ambassador and laid it upon the Memorial. After
a few minutes silence the Pipers played the contingents on their return to the Horse
Guards' Parade for dismissal.
At 4.30 p.m. a deputation of the Ypres League was received at Westminster
Abbey by The Right Rev. W. Foxley-Norris, D.D., and before a good attendance
of the general public, Captain R. Henderson-Bland, the League's esteemed repre
sentative in America, placed the wreath on the grave of the Unknown Warrior.
During a short service of impressive simplicity, the Dean addressed the assembly
with the following touching words
"Before we stand in silence for a moment's prayer let me remind youthough you need
no reminderwhat it is we are doing.
"Under this stone there lay the mortal remains of one of our men representatives of the
whole British forces. We do not know his name or his achievements. He may himself have
been in the Salient through those times we are thinking of to-dayat any rate he represents those
who were.
"On this day, a day never-to-be-forgotten in the history of England and more than that in
the history of decisive battles of the world. On this day there occurred one of the greatest
crises in history when the battle began. On the 31st of October, 1914, as you well know, our
line was re-established, but the incredible suffering and sacrifice of the Salient will always be
spoken of was not finished then. Before the end of the war 250,000 of our men had given their
lives around Ypres; and let us not forget these men. We never will because some of these men
went out from our own homes. It is difficult for those who lost their own to speak. They
in reverence remember that army called the Old Contemptibles who proved themselves the finest
army in the world, and they remember that new army built up around them who won their
spurs and reputationthey remember the forces of the Colonial Empire who won their place
side by side with them.
"In reverence let us stand a moment in silence remembering all these things as especially
those who we ourselves lost."
Later, the Dean invited the Ypres League deputation to visit the grave of Lord
Plumer in the Warrior's Chapel"A name," he said, "which will always through
history be joined to that of Ypres.
