ENGLISH CHURCH FOR YPRES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 27 September 1924, Page 7

ENGLISH CHURCH FOR YPRES.

CEREMONY XT THE CLOTH HALL

On August 4, the* tenth anniversary of Great Britain coming into the war, Field-Marshal the Earl of Ypres paid a visit to the famous town from which he takes his title for the purpose of opening the British Club and visiting the Ypres League’s Rest Room. In the market place, in the shadow' of the ruins of the Cloth Hall, he made a speech in French and in English.

After dwelling on the heroic- defence of Ypres, the Field-Marshal went on to say tliat the Ypres League was marking historical points in the salient for the information of pilgrims. It was issuing a tourists guide with a map -showing the eemeteiies its now concentrated and the available roads by which co reach them.

“Now I wish to speak of —to emphasise rather —a need which I am told is being increasingly felt here,” said Lord Ynres. “There is no English Church for the many pilgrims who come from home and overseas to visit the places where our dead '■soldiers have been laid to rest. It would be a great boon to them to find such a place into which they could come for prayer and remembrance of their dead,' and there, in peace and quiet, feel that appeal to service and sacrifice of which we are all so conscious to-dav. Our Roman Catholic brethren will have more than one church, as well as the cathedral, always at their service, but the Church of England has no place of a permanent character, 1 am told, anywhere in the whole battlefield area. Its authorities, however, arc well aware of the need and. I feel sure, will gladly take the necessary steps towards supplyny* it if wo of the .Army give them as k is right wo -should —tho initiative.'’ The Field-Marshal then deposited a splendid wreath at tho ruins of tho Cloth Hall hearing tho following inscription:— 4th August, 1914-21.

Mon -o f our Race, whose bodies circle Ypres, We here salute you, guard of deathless night! Yon held this gate to Britain, and now hold Her pledge fulfilled to stake her all for right.