stephen p nunn Posted 15 March , 2020 Share Posted 15 March , 2020 Just got back from our latest trip to Ypres. After 15 or so years of going there, this time it was a bit different. This is how it went: Friday 13/3/2020 Crossing via the Tunnel arriving in France at 9.09am (local time). Drove to Coxyde Military Cemetery to pay our respects to "an old friend" - Cpl. Edward Tindale (at III.A.2). Went on to Poelcapelle British Cemetery to pay our respects to Pte. James Dunlop (at LX.C.1). Took a call from our hotel to say that all bars and restaurants would be closing at midnight until 3/4/2020! Had beer and food at De Koornbloem, Langemark. On to Ypres and booked in at the Ariane. Went to the Last Post. Then a meal at Den Anker. Saturday 14/3/2020 Did Paul Reed's Ypres Town Walk. Stocked up with supplies from a supermarket. Told that the hotel would be closing tomorrow (Sunday). Sunday 15/3/2020 Returned home (early). A lovely trip as usual but cut short under difficult circumstances. I will post some pictures. Regards. Stephen (Maldon) and Christine. Our first stop - Coxyde. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 15 March , 2020 Author Share Posted 15 March , 2020 Cpl. Edward G. Tindale (at III.A.2). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted 15 March , 2020 Share Posted 15 March , 2020 You may be one of the last to attend the Last Post Ceremony for some time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 15 March , 2020 Author Share Posted 15 March , 2020 Pte. James Dunlop in Poelcapelle British Cemetery (at LX.C.1). Lunch at De Koornbloem, Langemark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 15 March , 2020 Author Share Posted 15 March , 2020 Whilst in Ypres Cathedral, saw this very moving poem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 15 March , 2020 Author Share Posted 15 March , 2020 On Paul Reed's Ypres Town Walk. Hope to return to Ypres soon under better circumstances. Best wishes to all our friends there and to GWF pals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 15 March , 2020 Author Share Posted 15 March , 2020 9 minutes ago, sassenach said: You may be one of the last to attend the Last Post Ceremony for some time. Thanks - about a tenth of the number of people who are usually there. Short (but still very special) ceremony. Best wishes. Stephen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted 15 March , 2020 Share Posted 15 March , 2020 I was due to go over next week. I feel so sorry for the people of Ypres and their wonderful city. We can only hope for better times to come. Thanks for posting that poem; hadn't seen that before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 15 March , 2020 Author Share Posted 15 March , 2020 My pleasure friend. S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyne Posted 16 March , 2020 Share Posted 16 March , 2020 Thanks for your visit!! Must have been weird to be rushed out of the hotel so quickly… M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianjonesncl Posted 16 March , 2020 Share Posted 16 March , 2020 On 15/03/2020 at 17:12, sassenach said: You may be one of the last to attend the Last Post Ceremony for some time. Made it on Sunday 16th March - about a dozen there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianjonesncl Posted 16 March , 2020 Share Posted 16 March , 2020 Friday night was a party night as everyone was out before the midnight deadline. Old Bill pub ran out of beer 23:30. Thanks to breakfast at Hotel 0, supermarket snack lunches (no panic buying in Ypres), and Pizza Roma in the evening we were able to complete our tour of the Battle Yser 1914 and Messines 1917, attending Last Post Ceremony on Sunday night. No one about so we were definitely isolated. Back on Eurostar today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 17 March , 2020 Author Share Posted 17 March , 2020 Thanks all - yes a very strange experience. Whilst at the Menin Gate we remembered the lads of the Essex Yeomanry. Regards. S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Expat yeoman Posted 16 April , 2020 Share Posted 16 April , 2020 Thank you for remembering them. A long list of names and almost every one of them were killed from the one action, Frezenberg 13th May 1915. As the successor unit to the EY we were able to do the same a few years back (2005). A poignant and memorable weekend of activities. Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkshire Dragoon Posted 16 May , 2020 Share Posted 16 May , 2020 On 16/04/2020 at 04:11, Expat yeoman said: Thank you for remembering them. A long list of names and almost every one of them were killed from the one action, Frezenberg 13th May 1915. As the successor unit to the EY we were able to do the same a few years back (2005). A poignant and memorable weekend of activities. Michael I am just this moment writing the biography of one of the North Somerset Yeomanry lads who were killed on the same day. The regiment lost 26 Officers and men killed and many many wounded. I posted a memorial to those lost here And in August 2018 as part of the RBL Great Pilgrimage I layed a wreath by Panel 5 of the Menin Gate for all the lads of the NSY who died in the Great War Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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