Terry Carter Posted 15 December , 2003 Share Posted 15 December , 2003 On Saturday 13 December I attended the unveiling of the Memorial Plaque dedicated to Bruce Bairnsfather at the site of former billet at the cottage in St Yvon, Plugsreet. This is where he first drew his cartoons on the wall of the cottage. All organised by Major Toni Holt and his wife Valmai. From start to finish at the 8pm ceremony at the Menin Gate when there must have been a thousand or more people turn up on an extremely wet and windy night. It was a brilliant day. The Khaki Chums led by Taff Gillingham were in attendance and afterwards two guys from the 'City Bats' Great War Living History Group stood on guard either side of the plaque. Regards Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Carter Posted 15 December , 2003 Author Share Posted 15 December , 2003 Another picture of the ceremony. Khaki Chums on Parade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Carter Posted 15 December , 2003 Author Share Posted 15 December , 2003 Khaki Chums in winter kit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Carter Posted 15 December , 2003 Author Share Posted 15 December , 2003 Memorial Plaque Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Carter Posted 15 December , 2003 Author Share Posted 15 December , 2003 Sat 13th December, Menin Gate, approx 7:45 pm. the Khaki Chums formed up on the road at the other end of the entrance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hone Posted 15 December , 2003 Share Posted 15 December , 2003 I was very interested to see the pictures of the unveiling of the plaque. My great-uncle, John Hone, was a member of 1st Royal Warwicks throughout the war. It was good to see some antelopes on parade at the ceremony! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salientpoints Posted 15 December , 2003 Share Posted 15 December , 2003 Fantastic. Good to see those pics Terry. Shame the whole event wasn't organised as well as hoped - see previous thread http://www.1914-1918.org/forum/index.php?s...t=0entry55156 Ryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlotte cardoen-descamps Posted 15 December , 2003 Share Posted 15 December , 2003 I have not been able to attend the ceremony in Plugstreet (due to a serious cold) but Ihave been lucky to welcome to Khaki Chums on our farm as well as a group of Bruce Bairnsfather enthousiast. Mark Warby, editor of the Bruce Bairnsfather newsletter, brougt a copy of "The better ole" to our farm, where it has been shown to a group of interested people. Local television came to the farm to make a small report on the Chums, which I have taped for them. A nice souvenir of a marvellous (but very busy weekend). Charlotte Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Carter Posted 16 December , 2003 Author Share Posted 16 December , 2003 The Holts gave a very interesting talk and slideshow concerning Bairnsfather at the Cloth Hall at 6 pm on Saturday evening. One of the slides shown was taken from a photograph from inside the cottage during the mid-1915 period. A similar drawing appears in Bairnsfather's book Bullets and Billets. Terry Below is the actual picture from the cottage wall which Bairnsfather must have drawn for the Christmas 1914 period when he was also involved in the Christmas Day Truce. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burlington Posted 16 December , 2003 Share Posted 16 December , 2003 I think these photos are tremendous. And the crowds at the Menin Gate! Perhaps they should be published somewhere outside this Forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salientpoints Posted 19 December , 2003 Share Posted 19 December , 2003 I have published Terrys photos (with his permission) on my website to give them and the memorial a wider audience. Cheers Ryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now