Ypres League of Officers

[tanks3]

; Hello All,

I have been fortunate enough to recently acquire a nice framed certificate to a member of the Tank Corps. The certificate has the following inscription:

"This is to certify that Capt A. G. Baker R.Tank Corps is a member of the Ypres Officers and men who served in the immortal defence of Ypres." I saw a simlar certificate for sale on ebay recently. My question is can anyone throw any light on the certificate or the Ypres League of Officers?

Thanks

[Bert Heyvaert]

The Ypres League was a quite succesfull ex-servicemen association during the 1920's and 1930's. Everybody that fought at Ypres could join. So could family members of soldiers who died on th Ypres front. I have never heard of the Ypres league of officers though. Are you sure it isn't the normal Ypres League?

regards,

Bert.

[salientpoints]

I have come across this in the past, there is some more info on the Ypres League here:

http://www.aftermathww1.com/ypresl.asp

Cheers

Ryan

[HERITAGE PLUS]

Whitakers Almanacks for 1930 and 1932 have the address for the Ypres League as

9 Baker Street, London, W1. and the Secretary as Capt.G.E.de Trafford MC.

The 1944 edition has the offices at 99 Lomond Grove, London SE.5 and Hon.Sec Lt.Col.H.G.Harris.

There is no entry for the League in the 1947 edition.

Dave

[Paul Reed]

Members of the Ypres League could buy these - I have the order form somewhere and will post it if I can find it.

The League 'faded away' on the eve of WW2; I have most of their magazines, and have never seen one beyond 1938/39. Has anyone else?

[Bert Heyvaert]

The League died with its chairman, general sir William Pulteney, in the early 1940's. Pulteney had taken most of it on his own shoulders. In fact, he also took care of the Ypres British settlement trust, which was highly sponsored by and intermingled with the Ypres League. I believe it is meanly due to his dead that the church hall, the building next to Eton memorial school was sold. Pulteney would have never allowed it.

The League was founded in 1919 by lt. Col Beckles-Wilson, at the time town major of Ypres, but he was re-assigned to somewhere in Africa due to insubordanative behaviour. Pulteney took over after him.

I know of only one decent article on the Ypres League, and that is by Dominiek Dendooven from In Flanders Fields in a book called 'Ieper de herrezen stad'. Unfortunatly only available in dutch.

While researching for my thesis I did some searching for the archives of the Ypres League, but couldn't locate them. The only thing left of it are the 'Ypres Times' magazines, and they are pretty interesting reading!

Pulteney lived in London, so the archives might have gone lost in the Blitz. He had no children, so it's difficult to locate his family - if they might have something left - today. If anyone has any ideas, I would be more than glas to hear them.

best,

Bert.

[Terry]

I too had wondered about this organization. When I obtained a 1914 Star & clasp trio to the ASC some time ago, it was accompanied by several original documents and service papers, and a copy of the certificate described by tanks3.

[tanks3]

Hello All,

Thanks for all the info. It has brought my certificste to light a bit. It is clearly marked ".... Ypres league of officers and men....."

Thanks again

Tanks3

[Tim1915]

I have about 70 copies of the original Ypres Times, between the first edition in 1921 and 1938.

If anyone has a specific request for information I will do my best to find it.

Unfortunately, I have not catalogued the contents yet, so please don't expect an early reply.

Tim

[Bert Heyvaert]

Paul,

As it seems that both yours, Tims and the collection of Ypres Times magazines at IFF-doc. centre seem to stop in late 1938-early 1939, I assume that there are no magazines published after this date.

Bert.

[Tim1915]

Bert,

I sent an e-mail to the Imperial War Museum in March 2003 asking the very same question.

I had a very polite reply saying there would be a considerable delay in responding.

I hope I will receive that response before too much longer (no dis-respect to the IWM intended).

Tim

[wilkokcl]

No posts on this thread since 2004 but I've just come across a certificate for a man in the Ypres League and am interested to know more. Can anyone add to the above?

Many thanks,

Mark

[tanks3]

Mark,

Thanks for bringing this topic back to the top of the pile. Since my original post, I have learnt that the officer to whom I have the certifictae (Capt. A E Baker) wrote at least one article for the leagues journal. Anyone able to find a copy of this article?

Tanks3