A Monument to the Canadian Corps on Mont Sorrel
A view of Ypres from Mount Sorrel. A very pastoral view today, but it would have been far different in 1916. The city is now known by its modern Flemish name of Ieper.
The city of Ieper, Belgium.
The town square, very open and very clean.
We had a delicious lunch of baguettes and cheese with liberal quantities of beer and wine - coco-cola for Louise and the kids.
Other views around the city centre.
The Menin Gate viewed from the city centre.
A photo from Archives Canada showing Canadian Troops marching through Ypres, passing the original Cloth Hall.
The Lille Gate dating from 1395 was one of two entrances into the ancient small settlement on the Iepere River. It managed to survive the battle for Ypres and rooms leading off from the gate were once used as HQ for the Canadian Tunneling Companies.
There are many cemeteries located around the city.
This small one was just to one side of the gate.
The cemetery contains the graves of 198 Commonwealth soldiers killed in the First World War. All but ten have been identified.
A closer view of the Menin Gate
On the walls of the monument to those who died in the battle of Ypres are 88,880 names of Commonwealth soldiers whose remains have never been found.
A relative?
The honour guard assembles. This ceremony has taken place every day since 02 July 1928; 1927 was the year the monument was opened. The citizens of Belgium have undertaken to sound the Last Post as a lasting memorial to those who gave their lives.
The ceremony was was moved from the Menin Gate to Brookwood Military Cemetery in Surrey England during the German occupation.
Every night at 2000hrs the road passing under the gate is closed and buglers from the local fire brigade sound the Last Post.
Of all the monuments we visited and the ceremony we attended at Vimy, this was the most moving evening for me, surrounded by walls that contained so many names of men who have no known resting place.
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