THE YPRES TIMES
60
COLCHESTER BRANCH.
The second annual re-union of the
Colchester and District Branch of the Ypres
League, held at the Red Lion Hotel
on February 1st, was a remarkable gathering
of some of The Old Brigadewho,
assisted in keeping the Channel ports free of
a foreign foe, and in the final destruction of
military might which sought the conquest oi
■our island. The silent toast in memory of the
fallena quarter of a million of the flower of
the Empirewas honoured at the call of the
Chairman (Lieut.-Colonel H. W. Herring,
M.C.), and there were interesting speeches,
and, above all, a fine comradeship, which
country and Empire held out because of the
defence of the Salient and those of us who
served there must take some pride in being
members of the League and commemorating
the service which those who still lay in the
Salient rendered, and which should never be
underrated."
Captain G. E. de Trafford, M.C., the secre
tary of the League, ably replied, and brought
from Lieut.-General Sir W. I'. Pulteney, the
League chairman, a message of congratulation
upon the astonishing advance of the Colchester
Branch and the fine work of its olficials, in
cluding Mr. W. H. Taylor, pilgrimage lion,
secretary, and Mr. Hubert Snow, the branch
hon. secretary, whose perseverance, enthusi-
2nd ANNUAL REUNION DINNER OF THE
found vent in community singing, during
which the Rector of Lexden (Rev. S. L. Dolph)
delighted a large company with parodies on a
famous song. Among those at the head table
was the Colonel of the Essex Regiment (Major-
General J. C. Harding-Newman, C.B., C.M.G.,
D.L.). After the repast, Major G. C. Benham,
M.C., in proposing the toast of "The Ypres
League," spoke of the considerable growth of
the Colchester infant of the League, and
stressed the desirability of keeping in remem
brance the long and marvellous and well-sus
tained defence put up in the Salient, which, he
claimed, was a war in itself, and one which
had a tremendous bearing on the conclusion of
hostilities. Out-gunned in the Ypres
Salient in the early stages, as we were,
yet the Salient still held out; and I don't think
if is putting it too strongly to say that this
COLCHESTER AND DISTRICT BRANCH.
asm and co-operation with headquarters had
contributed largely to the big increase in mem
bership.
Mr. G. J. Collings proposed The Visitors
and in response Rev. S. L. Dolph recounted
the story in brief of the three main battles of
the Salient, and, as an ex-Australian soldier,
gave, amid laughter, reminiscences of his
career as an unpaid infantry lance-corporal
who fell foulof the sergeant-major, lost
his stripe, and transferred to the artillery..
Rev. F. R. P. Carrick, an ex-padre, proposed
the toast of The Colchester Branch,"
remarking that it was an interesting fact that
the oldest town in our realm should be in the
forefront of the League's branches in regard
to increase of membership.
The Chairman, in response described the
Colchester Branch as one of the bright spots
