• 10 09, 2018
• Bandmaster
• 0
•  

Fifty band members have just returned from a memorable and at times emotional trip to Ypres, Belgium, over the weekend of 7-9 September. The trip coincided with the commemorations of 100 years since the Armistice that marked the end of World War 1. Ypres was at the centre of one of the most sustained and brutal series of battles during World War 1. Between 1914 and 1918, around half a million Allied and German troops lost their lives – achieving a territorial gain over the period of just 8km. The scale of loss and suffering was horrendous.

The centre piece our tour was the band’s participation in the Menin Gate ceremony. At 8pm every evening a moving ceremony takes place under the Menin Gate in Ypres. The Last Post Ceremony has become part of daily life in Ypres and the local people are proud of this simple but moving tribute to the courage and self-sacrifice of those who fell in defence of their town. Since 11 November 1929 the Last Post has been sounded at the Menin Gate Memorial every night of the year and in all weathers. The only exception to this was during the four years of the German occupation of Ypres from 20 May 1940 to 6 September 1944. The daily ceremony was instead continued in England at Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey. On the very evening that Polish forces liberated Ypres the ceremony was resumed at the Menin Gate, in spite of the heavy fighting still going on in other parts of the town. Bullet marks can still be seen on the memorial from that time.

The ceremony involving the band was the 31,157th time the ceremony had taken place! There was a huge crowd of at least 1000 people, packed under the Menin Gate and lining the road. There was a sense of excitement and anticipation but also, of course huge respect and reflection. The band marched into place playing ‘National Emblem’ and the reaction from the public was warm and friendly. There was then a period of 20 minutes standing still, on parade, with the atmosphere building and the band were permitted to play one piece before the ceremony began. The band played ‘World in Motion’.

Then, at 8pm, the buglers from the Last Post Association marched into position at the other end of the arch, facing the band, and sounded the Last Post, followed by a minute’s silence. Veterans, other groups and family members of those who had died during the fighting then laid wreaths, during which the band played two further pieces. A wreath was also laid on behalf on our group.

The band performed to a very high standard and everybody involved should be very proud. We met numerous people the following day who were at the ceremony, including a group of war veterans, who were very complimentary about the band’s performance and since returning home have had several e-mails from those at the event.

“My wife and I were at the Menin Gate last Saturday and were most impressed with the band. Well done guys”

“I was present at the Last Post ceremony in Ypres on 8th Sept and enjoyed the performance of your band. It was very moving and special to be there. I Live in Weymouth in the UK. Pass on my thanks to your band for their performance, they did themselves and the UK proud.”

In addition to the Menin Gate ceremony, the band performed a lunchtime concert in the sunshine in the main town square in Ypres and also performed in a beautiful setting at the Passchendaele Museum. During that concert, a local choir visiting the museum asked to perform a piece with the band. The band also visited the German War cemetery and Tyne Cot, the largest Commonwealth War Cemetery in the world – both of which were again moving occasions.