YPRES POPPY WREATH AT THE MENIN GATE

My husband Clive and I, along with Janet and John Bailey travelled by coach from Nottingham on 9 November 2016. We went out each day to see the Last Post Ceremony which is held every evening by the Ypres Last Post Association at the Menin Gate.

However, on 11 November a longer service is held allowing representatives of The Commonwealth and Great Britain to attend and lay wreaths on behalf of the countries whose soldiers, sailors and other military services gave the ultimate sacrifice.

Afterwards there is a service with prayers for those who died in the war and prayers that such a thing will never happen again. Hymns are sung in English and Flemish and when the final Blessing has been given, the foreign dignitaries and other members of the public start to leave the Menin Gate. Bands strike up with marches and First World War songs as everyone departs. The area is closed for motor transport allowing people who were not part of the official ceremony to enter and lay not only their own individual wreaths but wreaths on behalf of Branches all over the UK. This year, as in the last ten years in Clive's case and six years in my own, we have laid wreaths on behalf of the CALVERTON/ WOODBOROUGH DISTRICT BRANCH.

Photographs of our wreaths will be published on the website as soon as they have been processed.

Written and supplied by Mrs Sue Richardson.