THE YPRES TIMES
90
League Secretary's Notes
There are persons who actually survived the
Great War period generously extending their
imaginative discouragement by asserting that
memories of war are merely matter for the
historian, but it is obvious that such persons,
however good their intentions, are completely
devoid of practical knowledge of the fighting
man and the wonderful comradeship of the
trenches.
Why, then, has every belligerent nation of
the world war set up their respective ex-service
associations, thereby dispelling any doubt what
ever that the great comradeship of the war is
something unmeasured in the lives of those who
served and suffered Happily, because there
are the many thousands who understand
and are comforted to know that there exists,
after all this lapse of time, associations not only
to maintain the good fellowship, but to keep the
heroic deeds and sacrifices before those who were
too young to participate in the 1914-18 grim
encounter, as a preventative of a further
catastrophe.
The younger generation's desire to grasp
such education was proved as a result of our
recent Public Schools O.T.C. battlefield tour to
Ypres, when the keenest interest was expressed
by the cadets in the League's aims and objects,
and a letter which we have pleasure to publish
in the correspondence column contains similar
appreciation. Further, many young Territorial
Officers of the H.A.C., and 167th Infantry
Brigade, who travelled to the battlefields last
spring under our auspices, have also shown their
admiration of the Ypres League and its work.
It is our pleasant duty to welcome very
heartily all who have enrolled as members of
the League since the publication of our April
Ypres Times and to thank our staunch Branch
Committees and individual supporters who have
been instrumental in the recruitments.
Our annual Easter and Whitsuntide pil
grimages to Ypres were again a great success
and patronised by goodly musters of members
and friends, many of whom were enjoying their
first visits to the old battle haunts since the war.
At Whitsuntide, the League defrayed expenses
of a number of specially selected poor mothers
and widows from Gateshead, Colchester, Canter
bury and London for their initial visits to the
graves of their sons and husbands situated in
the Salient, and for the recommendations we
are greatly indebted for the kind co-operation
of Colonel E. C. Crouch, Mr. W. H. Taylor,
The Kentish Gazette," and to our London
County Committee respectively.
On Sunday, July 29th, H.M. the King of the
Belgians has graciously consented to visit the
Yrpes British School. Members of the Ypres
British Settlement Committee will be present.
The last April edition gave considerable-
space to the subject of the Ypres Times
Maintenance Fund," and we cannot allow this
letter to close without conveying our sincere
thanks to many members who continue to
signify their willingness to contribute donations
towards the heavy expense of the journal when
remitting their annual subscriptions. Letters of
appreciation of our little quarterly seem to-
increase, and, needless to say, it is a great
encouragement to headquarters to know that the
Ypres Times is so well received and enjoyed.
OBITUARY.
Major J. R. Ainsworth-Davis, M.A.
We regret to announce the death of Major
Ainsworth-Davis, a valued member of our
General Committee. Major Davis always
showed a very keen interest in the League's,
activities, and he rendered splendid service-
during the time he was Chairman of our London
Branch.
Our deepest sympathy is extended to Mrs.
Ainsworth-Davis and family.
MR. HENRY BENSON, M.A.
It is with extreme pleasure that we are-
able to announce the acceptance by Mr. Benson
of the Ypres League's invitation to become a
member of the General Committee.
Mr. Benson's high prestige in the literary
world is well known, and the fine articles that
he has from time to time contributed gratis,
to the columns of the Ypres Times have
been greatly valued by the Committee and much
enjoyed by our readers. The impressive narrative
from his pen on the late King Albert, which
we had privilege to publish in the last April
edition, elicited many letters of praise, including
one from His Excellency, The Belgian Ambassa
dor, requesting six additional copies to send to
friends in Belgium, and another from the
13th Belgian Field Artillery Association at
Liège asking for five extra copies.
Mr. Benson has always had the cause
of the Ypres League at heart, and he has
continually expressed his admiration of our
movement, particularly in regard to the League's
charitable work in defrayingExpenses of specially
selected poor mothers and widows to Ypres
to see the last resting places of their sons and
husbands for the first time.
We consider it an honour to welcome Mr.
Benson as a member of our General Committee,
and we have pleasure to record our gratitude
for all he has so willingly done for us in the
past and for the kind way in which he has now
closely associated himself with the Ypres
League.
