League Secretary's Notes
THE YPRES TIMES
BAR-LOCK (1925) CO.
25
At the commencement of 1935 we signalled
a note of welcome confidence after a most
trying and prolonged period due to the general
depression, but united efforts, especially during
the past year, have brought about a still more
happy situation. We are looking forward to
further good tidings in 1936 and to welcome
many more new members with the additional
co-operation of our good comrades of New
Zealand. The last mail has brought favourable
news from Auckland and we shall soon have the
pleasure to announce the official inauguration of
a new Branch, but the present is to report that
a temporary Committee has now been formed
under the Presidency of Mr. M. A. Ferguson,
the Belgian Consul, and the Right Hon. J. C.
Coates has generously accepted to be Patron
of the Branch. The loyal support of the ex-
Ypres warriors of New Zealand is not only greatly
appreciated and valued, but we are sure that,
as a result, the interest in the Ypres League will
spread more widely in other Dominions.
Our Purley Branch takes the recruiting
honours in winning the £5 prize for the fifth
consecutive yeara most praiseworthy achieve
ment in which we all extend to the Branch
Committee our thanks and hearty congratula
tions, and it is the intention of headquarters to
acknowledge, in some concrete form, the unique
record of this wonderfully progressive Branch,
but while placing mention of our Purley Branch
first and foremost, we do not under-estimate the
successful work of other Branches in their
recruiting during the year and we convey to the
respective Committees our gratitude.
The 1935 battlefield tours and pilgrimages
surpassed all previous records, and according to
recent enquiries it is not premature to judge that
1936 will present an equally full programme.
These tours to the battlefields serve as a valuable
medium in keeping personal touch with repre
sentatives of the Regular and Territorial Army
Units, Ex-Service Officers and men, relatives
of the fallen, and the Public Schools O.T.C.
who have shown marked enthusiasm in their
trips to France and Flanders these members
of the young generation display sympathetic
•interest in all that is related to them and value
the education that such visits offer.
In the January, 1935 "Ypres Times" we
made an urgent appeal to all members to notify
us of any changes of address, and in consequence,
we were able to amend the membership register
to date, but we are now beginning to observe that
a few copies of the Ypres Times are filtering
their way back to headquarters bearing the post
mark "gone away," s we respectfully emphasise
how anxious we are to be informed of change of
addresses and we trust that members will very
kindly remember to advise us from time to time.
We are optimistic in this 16th anniversary
year of the Ypres League, backed up by complete
confidence in the continued support of our
Branches, Corresponding Members, Individual
Members and friends. The headquarter key
word for 1936 is Membership not only to
be content to fill the gaps caused by many
deaths during the past year, but to substantially
increase our forces at home and overseas. We
would like more members to apply to H.Q.
for a small stock of explanatory pamphlets
and enrolment forms, and if desired, a few
back numbers of the Ypres Times will be gladly
sent for propaganda purposes.
In conclusion, we repeat our October message
in wishing all members a very happy and pros
perous 1936, and we thank in advance those
who are intending to devote some of their
precious time for the future welfare of our
League.
NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND
MADE IN ENGLAND
AND IN USE ALL OVER THE WORLD
