THE YPRES TIMES 245 Sunday morning was free to enable those who desired to attend Divine Service in the English Church, others could be seen around the Fair, now in full swing with round abouts, organs playing, showmen shouting, etc. Later in the morning the religious procession wended its way through the streets with nuns carrying the various decorated altars, firemen, bands and banners and lastly the Clergy in their brilliant robesa most impressive and unforgettable sight. In the afternoon, coaches conveyed us for a tour of the Salient, and the route taken was via St. Jean, St. Julien with its Canadian Memorial, Tyne Cot Cemetery, Zonnebeke, Gheluvelt, Clapham Junction, Hooge, Maple Avenue, Hill 62, Sanctuary Woodwhere the preserved trenches with their duckboards and water made a realistic picture. At Hill 60, the trenches and tunnels were entered and the tower with a telescope at the top drew some of the more energetic for a fine panoramic view of the Ypres Salient. We PHOTOGRAPH OF THE PARTY PRIOR TO DEPARTURE FROM YPRES returned via Hell Fire Cornernow a very peaceful oneand so back to our starting point. Monday morning at 9 a.m. we set off again, this time for a whole-day tour as far as Arras, passing through St. Eloi, Messines, Ploegsteert, crossing the frontier at Le Bizet. On the Belgian side, a merry-faced Customs officer appeared at the coach window and enquired if there were any on board fro' Yorkshire, as he had spent some time in that county during the war. On the French side, things wery different and enumerable formalities delayed us for a long time. A pompous officer made enquiries if we possessed tobacco, cigarettes, chocolates; etc., but received negative replies. Our coach, in column of route with other transport was unfortunately positioned half-way over a bridge under which was stagnant water and the odour that emanated did not exactly remind one of ottar of roses At length we reached Armentieres from which the notorious madamoiselle originated, and near the outskirts, high across the road were two stuffed figures, one of which was a female. This led to questions if that might be the lady, but

HISTORISCHE KRANTEN

The Ypres Times (1921-1936) | 1935 | | pagina 23