For the Fallen

11, 961 reasons to fear war. That is the lesson I learned at the Tyne Cot cemetery today. We have officially left our WWII tour with yesterday's visit to Brett's great uncle's graves in Dieppe, and moved into new territory for our family.  A WWI tour of Ieper, Belgium, and Arras, France, which will culminate with our attendance at the 100 the Anniversary celebrations at Vimy Ridge on Sunday.

Yesterday we were treated as special guests by the host of our B and B, Benoit Mottire, who just so happens to be the chairman of the Last Post Association. This commemorative ceremony has been sounded since 1928, interrupted only by the Second World War. Yesterday's ceremony was number 30 637.  Given the number of Canadians here in there was not a place to be found under that amazing gate unless of course you know Benoit.  This ceremony with taps, wreath laying, and reveille was unbelievably moving.  It is difficult to imagine a better way to say thank you to the thousands of men whose names are on that gate than to put on this ceremony every day without end.  The buglers told us some days it is lonely,  some cold, some hot and others busy, but rest assured each day the gendarmerie arrive at 8 pm to close the street to traffic and the town of Ieper stops to remember.

Menin Gate at Night 

Buglers

Today's tour of the battlefields of the Ieper salient and the first, second and third battles of Ieper can only be described as overwhelming.  Graveyards dot the landscape here in a way that Tim Hortons does back home.  The people of this area have become accustomed to the view of thousands upon thousands of gravestones.  I have not and each one became a bit more difficult to deal with.  

The Passendale museum has an excellent display with recreated trenches, and dugouts to put the living conditions of our troops into perspective.  The Sanctuary Wood cemetery was a practice field today for the Durham Regional Police Pipe band who will be playing at the gate this evening and at the Vimy 100 ceremony.  A nice tribute to happen upon while searching for the Sanctuary Wood and Hill 62 battlefield.  Here we saw craters, preserved tunnels, and trenches, stacked artillery red with rust and an assorted collection of artifacts.

To stand at the place where John McCrae wrote his famous poem, to see the dressing station that he had to work at, to see his friends name inscribed onto Menin Gate. This is history come alive.

My feeling today is one of overwhelming sacrifice. In taking or defending this area there were 245 000 allied and 215 000 German casualties. Graves dot the landscape and I am no left to wonder how we could have forgotten so costly a lesson? As for me? I am off to pay my respects at last post ceremony number 30 638.

Cheers,

Rachel

The dressing station where Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD wrote, " In Flander's Fields".

Tyne Cot Cemetery