Ypres and Meningate

Our excursion this afternoon enabled me to remove one more item from the bucket list. I've always wanted to hear the last post played at Meningate at Ypres.  I had tried to organise it  last time I was here in Belgium, but the stars did not align.
So I signed up for this afternoon's optional extra which included a visit to Tyne Cot Cemetery and Essex Farm, where the poem "On Flanders Field" was composed. And, of course, a visit to Ypres to be part of the ceremony where every night at 8pm they play the Last Post and lay the wreaths to commemorate all who lost their lives in this area, especially in WW1.

So, once again George accompanied us on the bus and explained the origins of WW1 and the history of the European countries that led up to this time.

Our first stop was Tyne Cot Cemetery,....

Tyne Cot Cemetery

It was very sobering to see the rows of gravestones, so many of whom were unidentified. I found one Aussie one, but was interested to know there are 4 Germans buried there too...

German Soldier's Grave

Tyne Cot cemetery

Field outside Tyne Cot. Can't believe the mud and havoc that once existed here....

Next visit was to Essex Farm where John McCrae wrote his famous poem "In Flanders Fields"

He apparently was a surgeon who was working here at this Triage place where his job was to determine which patients could be saved  and which would die...... what a dreadful job...!

Our last stop was in Ypres, where we were shown the Meningate Memorial, and advised what time to get there and where to stand etc...

Meningate in Ypres

We were then given free time to pick up some food. The ceremony starts at 8pm sharp and we were told to be there no later than 7.30pm or earlier if possible. I arrived about 7.10pm and all the really good spots were gone. I got quite close to the action but couldn't really see the guys who played the last post. But I was quite close to the people who laid the wreaths!!!

Some pics of Ypres itself..

Ypres

Ypres

 And some of the crowd at Meningate..

The ceremony starts with a call to order, then the Last Post is played, then various people add wreaths...

This wreath was laid by St Patrick's Primary School in Sutherland NSW

The young soldiers were very impressive..

It didn't take too long... maybe 20 minutes... but was very moving... And heaps of people attend every  night...

It was a very sobering excursion and one that certainly  reminded me of the role that war has played in this part of the world.

Lest we forget....