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End of Menenstraat
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The tradition of the final bugle call of the day signalling the end of the soldier's day dates back to the 17th century in the British Army.
After the officer on duty had inspected the final sentry post, the bugle call of "Last Post" was sounded. This was the final warning that everyone should be back in their billets.
The "Last Post" bugle call is used at military funerals, memorials because it symbolises the end of the soldier's day in so far as the dead soldier has finished his duty and can rest in peace.
In 1928, citizens of Ypres decided to express the gratitude of the Belgian nation towards those who had died for its freedom and independence by a daily ceremony at the Menin Gate Memorial.
A Last Post Committee was established. The privilege of playing Last Post was given to buglers of the local volunteer Fire Brigade. They received silver bugles from British associations.
From 11 November, 1929 the Last Post has been sounded at the Menin Gate memorial every night at 8.00 pm.
The only exception to this was during the German occupation of WW II. During these four years the daily ceremony was instead continued in England at Brookwood Military Cemetery,
On the very evening (Sept 6, 1944) that Polish forces liberated Ypres the ceremony was resumed at the Menin Gate, in spite of the fighting still going on in other parts of the town.
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La cérémonie quotidienne du "Last Post" sous le mémorial est généralement suivie par des délégations venues des pays du Commonwealth ayant participé à la guerre de 14-18. Il s'agit d'écoles, collèges, associations patriotiques, militaires, etc.
Le calendrier de leur passage peut être trouvé sur le site de l'association Last Post:
www.lastpost.be
Lors de notre VT meeting à Ypres le 21/04/2007 nous avons ainsi vu une délégation militaire de recrues des Welsh Guards (en civil avec la cravate rouge et bleue du régiment) et de leur officier en uniforme (photo 1). Celui portait sur sa casquette le typique et ancien insigne gallois du "leek" (= poireau) (photo 2)
J'ai une sympathie et reconnaissance particulières envers le régiment des Welsh Guards car ils ont libéré Bruxelles le 3/09/1944 (voir mon intro Belgium)
Ils ont aussi laissé de nombreux morts sur les champs de bataille de France et de Flandres pendant le Grande Guerre. Les noms de leurs soldats disparus "missing" sont gravés sur le monument de la Porte de Menin.
Le 1er bataillon des Welsh Guards fût constitué en février 1915 et arriva en France en août 1915. Il fit partie de la célèbre Guards Division et participa en 1917 aux batailles d'Ypres et de Passendale.
Environ 4.050 Welsh Guards participèrent aux opérations de 1915 à novembre 1918.
880 furent tués, 1.750 furent blessés (informations reçues de Nick Farr, WGO).
A la porte de Menin les recrues des Welsh Guards rendirent hommage à leurs anciens; dans quelques temps ils seront devenues des soldats d'élite montant de garde à Buckingham Palace et participant à la grande parade du "Trooping the Colour" en leur tunique rouge et bonnet d'ours (photo 3 avec autorisation de WeshGuardsOnline). Ils seront aussi en opérations militaires en différents pays.
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 Welsh Guards at Trooping the
Colour 2006 by breughel, 2 more photos
During our VT meeting in Ypres/Ieper on April 21, 2007 we saw a delegation of recruits of the Welsh Guards (in civilian suits with the red and blue tie of the regiment, pic 2) . The officer leading them was in uniform wearing a cap with the typical badge of a "leek", ancestral Welsh military emblem.
I have a personal gratitude towards the Welsh Guards regiment because they liberated Brussels on Sept. 3, 1944 (see my intro on Belgium).
They left numerous dead on the battlefields of France and Flanders during the Great War. The names of the "missing" are engraved on the walls of the Menin Gate memorial. (pic 3)
The 1st battalion of Welsh Guards was raised in Feb. 1915 and arrived in France in August, 1915. It was part of the Guards Division and participated in 1917 to the battles of Ypres and Passendale.
Approximately 4.050 Welsh Guards participated in the operations from 1915 till November, 1918. Among them 880 were killed, 1.750 were wounded (information by courtesy of Nick Farr, WGO).
At the Menin Gate on this 26.996th "Last Post" ceremony the recruits of the Welsh Guards honoured their predecessors; within some months they will belong to the elite troops on guard at Buckingham Palace, participating at the "Trooping the Colour" wearing the famous red tunic and bearskin (photo 1 by courtesy of WelshGuardsOnline).
They will also be on military operations in various countries.
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Many soldiers killed in action at the Ypres salient were not buried; they simply disappeared in the soil. Others whose bodies were found could not be identified and lie in cemeteries as unknown soldiers.
The Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing bears the names of 54.896 men who lost their lives between the start of the war and 15 August 1917.
"IN MAIOREM DEI GLORIAM
HERE ARE RECORDED NAMES
OF OFFICERS AND MEN WHO FELL
IN YPRES SALIENT BUT TO WHOM
THE FORTUNE OF WAR DENIED
THE KNOWN AND HONOURED BURIAL
GIVEN TO THEIR COMRADES IN DEATH"
After that date the other 34.984 missing soldiers are mentioned on the monument of the Tyne Cot cemetery in Passendale.
Can you imagine 90.000 missing only for the British and Commonwealth forces at the salient of Ypres!
The monument by architect Reginald Blomfield was built in a classic style at the cutting through the remains of the ancient ramparts crossing the moat known as the "Meenenpoorte". The road from this gateway leads to the town of Menin.
During almost the whole period of the war thousands of British and Commonwealth troops marched through this gateway into the battlefields of the Ypres Salient.
The Monument was begun in June 1921 and inaugurated in 1927 and became one of the best known British WW I monuments.
The names of the missing are engraved on the walls and are arranged by regiment and rank. British, Canadians, Australians, Indians, Gurkhas; the list goes on.
New Zealand forces are named on separate memorials.
The Menin Road is still an important thoroughfare. Cars and pedestrians pass under the gate as part of the daily life of Ieper/Ypres.
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 view on the mainstreet
(Menenstraat) from the mene by wandeljp
L'ancienne porte de Menin fut détruite lors des combats de la première mondiale. Au même endroit, de 1923 à 1927 le IMPERIAL WAR GRAVES COMISSION fit construire un grand mémorial de guerre par l'architecte sir Reginald Blomfield de Londres en mémoire des soldats de l'empire Britannique disparus durant les combats dans le secteur d'Ypres.
-=oOo=-
The old Menen gate is destroid during WW I
On the same place, in 1923-27 THE IMPERIAL WAR GRAVES COMISSION build a great Britan warmonument. (architect: Reginald Blomfield from London)
It remember al the died and wounded of the British Army in the Ieper sector.
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 Great symbolic by wandeljp |
 Up on the monument. by wandeljp
On the afterside the english Lion, with the eyes looking to the battle area : the inscription:
To the armies of the british empire, who stood here from 1914 to 1918 .
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 Menin Gate - Ypres by Martinewezel
In this gate are the names of 54.869 missed soldiers and lots of artificial poppies. In honour to these soldiers there is a ceremony every night at 20 pm.
(see tip about the "Last Post"%L) Leave a Comment
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 the bugler of the Last
Post with his bugle by angiebabe,
4 more photos
I felt proud to be a New Zealander, i am also an Australian, but foremost my roots are in NZ - and i felt priviliged to be there, from the other side of the world to attend a ceremony to recognise such an event involving soldiers, people like you and me who also left their comfort zones to battle on the other side of the world.
So it was heart moving when the bugler played his sad and melodic tune with fellow kiwis and aussies there in their regalia to show themselves.
Its an official ceremony each night at 8pm, t he bugler sounds the last post here and signatories accompany with him, officials or higher military commands and wreaths are laid at this time too. Leave a Comment
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The Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing was inaugurated on Sunday 24 July, 1927.Nothing prepars for you for the size of it. It is huge!! The memorial contains the names of 54,896 officers and men from all the overseas British and Commonwealth forces who fell in the Ypres Salient before 16 August 1917. Every night at 8pm there is ceremony of the Last Post. ll This is said to move people to tears and is always well attended. Leave a Comment
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