A Week-end in Ypres with the 85th THE YPRES TIMES 217 Should everyone make a pilgrimage to Ypres Of course you should go, and pay tribute to our brave comrades who lie out there, they saved England, they were a wall unto us both by day and night. Go for a trip with one of the Ypres League parties You will have the time of your life, English is spoken everywhere, the Belgian people will give you a hearty welcome and it will be an education. Tuesday morning we left Ypres soon after 9 a.m. boarding the boat Princess Astrid and after another good crossing reached London at about 5 p.m. Incidentally, we had a most interesting conversation with a German officer en route from Dover who had served on both the Somme and Ypres fronts. May this be one of many trips that the Guard will make to Ypres and on behalf of the party I convey to Captain de Trafford our best thanks for all his kindness to us which will be long remembered. A. C. K. By a Visitor with the 85th Club. FOR the sixth consecutive year, a pilgrimage to Ypres, under the auspices of the Ypres League, was made by members and friends of the 85th Field Ambulance O.C.A., and despite the passing of time, this annual trip is still looked upon as one of the outstanding events in their social calendar. The enthusiasm of those assembled at Victoria Station on the night of May 17th was good to witness. Their prospect of once again re-visiting the old battlefield haunts was indeed infectious and the journey to Folkestone appeared particularly short amongst this happy band. The inevitable pack of cards was produced and unfinished games continued on the boat, meanwhile others proceeded to their allotted bunks to snatch a little sleep. Our arrival at grimy old Dunkerque was the signal for the Douane officials to prepare to relieve Les Anglais of their good English fags, a procedure, which the party are by now quite accustomed To rather tired limbs, the comfortable train journey from Dunkerque was welcomed and crossing the frontier Ypres was soon reached looking so new in the early morning sunshine, but so full of old memories and associations. A hasty wash, brush-up and good breakfast at Hotel Skindles, the party were again on the move, this time for a motor tour of the battlefields accompanied by the League's representative, Mr. C. J. Parminter. Many old billets and haunts were visited en route to Cassel where an excellent lunch was eagerly enjoyed at the Hotel Sauvage. Then on the return journey a call was made at Talbot House, Poperinghe and Skindles where tea was taken eventually arriving back in Ypres at about 6.30 p.m. After dinner the party assembled at the Menin Gate for the ceremony of the Last Post.*' Then followed an enjoyable whist drive and dance at the Pilgrims Rest Room adjacent the English Church where the British community congregated in aid of the British Settlement Benevolent Fund, Sunday was a day of leisure, apart from a short service at the Menin Gate at 12 noon, very kindly conducted by the Resident Chaplain, the Rev. G. R. Milner, M.A., when a wreath of Haig Poppies was placed by the Chairman, Mr. W. F. Taylor. All too soon, the time arrived to pack up, but what an enjoyable experience made possible by the courtesy and helpful assistance of the Ypres League. It is indeed very inspiring to visit the Immortal Salient to-day and to observe the beautiful manner in which the graves of our fallen comrades are tended and cared for, also to note the mar vellous strides made by the Belgians in the re-building of their sorely striken towns and villages and the cultivation of their lands. C. H. M. R.

HISTORISCHE KRANTEN

The Ypres Times (1921-1936) | 1935 | | pagina 27