At the end of October, 18 intrepid butchers, partners and guests made the pilgrimage to the Belgian city of Ypres for a group tour organised by the Worshipful Company of Butchers (WCB).
Expertly guided by Mark Smith, the renown battlefield guide, historian and highly regarded medals expert who regularly appears on TV’s Antiques Roadshow, this was the first overseas group trip of its type made by the Butchers Company and was voted a huge success by all who participated.
An 8.00am departure by coach to Ypres via the Dover to Dunkirk DFS ferry arrived mid-afternoon at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, where Mark introduced the ‘tour’ and told stories about what happened at the site which had been a field hospital during WW1.
Last Post Ceremony
The group then headed into Ypres and after a most agreeable dinner gathered at the Menin Gate for the Last Post Ceremony which has taken place more than 33,000 times at 8.00pm every evening since July 1928. The only exception was during WW2 when the Germans occupied Belgium.
After the sounding of The Last Post by members of the Last Post Association (members of Ypres Fire Brigade), members of the group led by Past Master Chris Wood laid a wreath in the memory of over one million casualties of all nations from the Ypres battles of 1914-18.
The Menin Gate has the names of 54,000 men who were lost on the Salient and who have no known grave. They still lie out somewhere on the battlefield.
Ypres itself is a most attractive town and has many decent bars, cafes and restaurants. After a most pleasant evening at the end of a long day the group retired in preparation of a busy day.
In Flanders Fields
Saturday itself began in light rain, but this had cleared by the time of the first stop at Essex Farm.
This historic site was where John McCrae wrote the poem ‘In Flanders Fields’ and was the location of a front-line dressing station for most of the war. The cemetery has around 1,150 burials including 15-year-old Private Strudwick.
Mark shared the tragic story of a young boys life taken before it had properly started, prior to the group walking around the site and heading to the Yorkshire Trench, another front-line location just a short distance away.
Yorkshire Trench was actually uncovered during modern redevelopment of the area and Mark explained how life must have been only a few dozen yards away from the enemy. Extremely thought provoking!
We then drove on to see the German cemetery at Langemarck (visited by Hitler in 1940 as he had served near there in WW1), the Canadian memorial at St Julien (site of the first gas attack in May 1915) where the group posed for a photo in front of yet another most impressive memorial.
After lunching, with a lovely local beer on the side, at the most impressive Brothers in Arms memorial at Zonnebeke, which commemorates ‘lost’ brothers in the conflict, we travelled around the salient to Hill 60 and The Bluff.
Hill 60 was the site of two of the 21 mines blown on 7th June 1917 which wiped out the German defences leading to the capture of Messines Ridge, one of the most successful actions of the war. Closer to home, The Bluff was where Past Master of the WCB Chris Woods’ grandfather won a DCM, and Mark Smith read the citation for a most brave and gallant action which Grandad Wood fortunately survived, as he did the war.
Memorial and Cemeteries
We then headed across to Passchendaele and Tyne Cot cemetery, the largest British/Commonwealth cemetery in the world with almost 12,000 headstones. A truly impressive memorial, resplendent in the late afternoon sun we reflected of the carnage of the Third Battle of Ypres which over 100 days saw almost half a million casualties. Tyne Cot also has a memorial to those missing with almost 40,000 names to add to those on the Menin Gate.
After another most pleasant evening of fellowship, food and refreshment, our final day dawned to offer another lovely morning as we headed to Poperinge, the location of the grave of double VC winner Noel Chevasse.
Here we remembered a less famous but equally brave lad who had perished in the salient and named Anstie. Then onto Talbot House, a unique rest and recreation venue in WW1 for all ranks (highly unusual) situated beyond the guns where we, as thousands had before us, enjoyed a cup of tea and toured the museum.
We then visited the nearby execution cells where soldiers condemned for serious crimes such as murder and rape as well as cowardice before the enemy were dealt with by firing squad before a final visit to Poperinge Cemetery where a number of these unfortunates who faced the firing squad are buried.
There was just time for a light lunch and another delightful Belgian cherry beer before jumping back on the coach to get the DFS ferry home from Calais. Trips both ways were on time and in good sailing conditions.
Organised by Barbed Wire Tours, everyone agreed it proved to be a most amazing weekend in Ypres. Mark Smith was a superb tour guide and historian and brought the battle and the context of WW1 to life for the group, who really appreciated his expertise and humour.
With the inaugural trip such a huge success plans are already in-hand for next year, and this time a visit the Somme battlefields of France is scheduled.
“At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.”
Article credits: With thanks to Mike Attwood who organised the WCB tour with additional material by Graham Yandell MBE.
