Tag Archives: WW 1

Belgium

Ypres, Belgium and The Last Post

We went to explore the city of Ypres in Belgium and take part in the last post ceremony. The city is beautiful with a rich history and was even raided by the Romans in the first century.

We walked through the city of Ypres looking at the stores, shops and admiring the architecture. We came to a chocolate store which we couldn’t resist going inside and checking it out.

Ray, Anne, and Jim in the Belgium Chocolate store

After checking out the assorted chocolates we continued down the street toward the main plaza. We stopped at the main plaza and enjoyed a cold beverage at a pub close to the Cathedral.

St Martin Cathedral in Ypres, Belgium

After exploring the old quarter of Ypres, we walked along a path that followed the Kasteelgracht river. There was a stone wall that ran parallel to the river. We stopped to take a break and sat on the wall enjoying the scenery.

Shelley relaxing along the wall beside the river.

We walked the trail for a period of time and then headed to the Menin Gate Memorial to the missing.

Menin Gate Memorial at Ypres Belgium.

The Menin Gate Memorial to the missing was built-in 1927.  The gate is dedicated to the unknown graves of British and common wealth soldiers who were killed in the Ypres battles and World War One. From 11 November 1929, the Last Post has been sounded at the Menin Gate Memorial every night and in all type of weather. The only exception to this was during the four years of the German occupation of Ypres from 20 May 1940 to 6 September 1944.

We arrived at around 6:45 pm and lined up along the sidewalk to wait for the playing of the last post to begin.

crowds of people gathered for the Last Post ceremony

The gate is very large and there is a hall of memory which contains the names of 54,395 Commonwealth soldiers who died in the Ypres Battles but whose bodies have never been identified or found.

Menin Gate memorial wall with inscribed names of missing soldiers.

For us being at Ypres and seeing the Last Post was a very somber and emotional experience. It is one of those events that is surreal and will stay with us for a long time. By 8 p. m. there was a very large crowd present for the start of the Last Post.

The start of the Last Post was incredible, although there were crowds of people it was completely silent. The three volunteer firefighters marched to the center of the Menin Gate with a bagpiper. It was a stirring moment, with the acoustics of the gate making the bugles, even more vibrant.

Bagpiper and three volunteer firefighter buglers at Menin Gate

Flags were lowered by two individuals as the Last Post began.

Flag persons at Menin Gate Last Post

After the Last Post was finished, a former British serviceman walks to the center of the gate and recites a part of the ode of remembrance.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.

The recital is followed by a moment of silence and then the sole bagpiper played a song.

After the bagpiper was finished there was complete silence and selected people began to lay wreaths at the memorial in the Menin Gate.

Person returning after laying a wreath at the memorial in Menin Gate

After people laid the wreaths at the memorial, the ceremony was finished and people quietly began to leave the Menin Gate. It was a very touching event and one that we will remember for years.

“Tot ziens en een goede dag”

Belgium

Essex Farm Cemetery in Belgium

We visited one of the World War One sites that most Canadians can relate to. We went to the Essex Farm Cemetery and Advanced Dressing Station in Belgium. It is also the location where John McCrae wrote his famous poem “In Flanders Fields”.

Ray on the path to the Field Dressing Station
John McCrae Monument

We walked down a path that led to the field dressing station. There were several rooms made in concrete under the ground that was used to treat soldiers. This is where John McCrae served as a medical doctor for a period of time during the war.

The Field Dressing rooms

We went into the rooms which were small, damp and they had low ceilings.

Field Dressing room

In the room, there were Canadian flags, crosses, poppies and other memorials dedicated to the Canadian soldiers who died during World War One.

The  Essex Farm Advanced Dressing Station is where Major John McCrae composed the poem “In Flanders Fields”. There was a plaque explaining the history of the poem and Major John McCrae.

Plaque with history of John McCrae and the poem “In Flanders fields”

The Poem was also inscribed on the plaque.

In Flanders Fields inscribed on plaque at Essex Farm Cemetery

After visiting the dressing station and reading the information on John McCrae we went into the Essex Farm Cemetery.

We walked through the cemetery reading the names of some of the soldiers who died during the first world war.

Gravestones in the Essex Farm Cemetery

We came across the gravestone of a Soldier named Valentine Joe Strudwick who died at the age of only 15.

Gravestone of soldier Valentine Joe Strudwick age 15

It was interesting to see the location where John McCrae wrote the poem “In Flanders Fields” It was also a moving experience to see the cemetery and see the gravestone of a 15-year-old soldier.

“Tot ziens en een goede dag”

France

Thiepval Monument

We went to see the Thiepval Memorial which is located near Thiepval France. The memorial commemorates the missing British and South African soldiers who died in the Battle of the Somme during the First World War.

Thiepval Memorial in France

The memorial was a large arched monument that was quite impressive.

Shelley at the Thiepval Monument

The monument was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and was built between 1928 and 1932. It is the largest Commonwealth Memorial to the Missing in the world.

Each the stone columns are inscribed with the names of missing soldiers during the Battle of Somme. There are 72,246 officers and soldiers names engraved on the columns.

Names inscribed on the column of the Thiepval Memorial

We read some of the names engraved on the wall and came across a few names which had a poppy beside them. When a soldier’s remains were recovered that was previously listed as missing a poppy is attached beside their name on the monument.

Poppy beside the soldier’s name, whose remains have been located.

Behind the monument is the Thiepval Anglo-French Cemetery.  The Thiepval Memorial also serves as an Anglo-French battle memorial.

View of the Thiepval Anglo-French Cemetery from the monument

We walked through the cemetery looking at some of the graves of the soldiers.  What we found very sad was the number of gravestones of unknown soldiers.

View of the Thiepval cemetery with French crosses on the left and British gravestones on the right

There were two different types of gravestones. One was rectangular and were for the British and the other one was a stone cross for the French. The British gravestones were simply marked with “A Soldier of the Great War/ Known unto God”. The French Cross gravestones were marked with “Inconnu”  which means “unknown”

It was a moving experience seeing the monument and the number of names listed as missing.

“Au revoir et passe une bonne journée”