Menin Gate - The Last Post

Barry Izbak · Nov 8, 2014

At 8pm every evening since 1928 at the Menin Gate in Ypres Belgium they sound the Last Post in memory of those lost in the First World War.

http://www.lastpost.be/en/home

I am going to this on Tuesday - the eleventh day of the eleventh month and wondered if anyone on here has ever been?

I understand it is a bit of a classic "school trip" but I spotted the £40 Brighton & Hove Coach excursion and having become really interested in WW1 due to all the coverage of the centenery this year and having already been to visit the Somme, I decided to give it a go.

Not sure it will be quite the same travelling on a B&H coach without one of Liz's quizzes but I'm looking forward to it.

Mowgli37 · Nov 8, 2014

I went earlier this year, well worth the trip. Only downside was the tourists endlessly snapping away with their cameras, very disrespectful during the ceremony.

ATFC Seagull · Nov 8, 2014

Take a bunch of kids from school every year. Last year was literally 4-5 times busier than previous years, my advice would be to get a spot from 7ish, even if you feel a bit weird with the traffic still going through etc.

ATFC Seagull · Nov 8, 2014

Just realised you said you were going on 11/11. We can't get near the front in May! Good luck!

Hastings gull · Nov 8, 2014

Mowgli37 said:
I went earlier this year, well worth the trip. Only downside was the tourists endlessly snapping away with their cameras, very disrespectful during the ceremony.

Yes, well worth the trip and very moving. Just off the main square in Ypres and if you arrive early, then you can have a meal in one of the restaurants, as they are geared up to serving in time for the ceremony at 8pm. However, you have picked one of the busiest times to go, if not the THE busiest, so please get there early. The standing is not tiered, as it presumably is not needed every night, and so it can be very hard to see. Best to pop up and check periodically, if you are in Ypres in good time -don't take a travel guide's word and arrive at 7.45 eg.
Alternatively, go again privately -it is not at all far to drive -try Varlets Farm for accommodation, which is close to the largest British war cemetery, and you can view their own private weapons collection, which they still dig up!
Good luck and enjoy the trip.

Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo! · Nov 8, 2014

I used to work in Belgium and have been to Ypres several times. Very sobering experience, well worth the trip.

Hillian1 · Nov 8, 2014

It is a humbling experience in my opinion. (Menin Gate that is not the Coach trip)

If you get the chance, go to langermark, this is the German cemetary nearby.

Not sure why someone would give your post a thumbs down though.

Mowgli37 · Nov 8, 2014

Tyne Cot Cemetery. The resting place for nearly 12,000 servicemen. The two flat-topped graves in the foreground are two of the four German graves in the cemetery. Just goes to show the absurdity of war.

rrruss · Nov 8, 2014

Went in September. You must get there before 7.15 to have a chance of seeing anything going on, but on Tuesday? I think you'll need to get there at 5pm!!

There is so much to see in the Ypres area. There are a few examples on my blog (https://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Belgium/West-Flanders/Ypres/blog-861601.html) but I reckon you can go there many times before you would begin to feel like you've seen most of it.

Hillian1 · Nov 8, 2014

Mowgli37 said:
View attachment 59983

Tyne Cot Cemetery. The resting place for nearly 12,000 servicemen. The two flat-topped graves in the foreground are two of the four German graves in the cemetery. Just goes to show the absurdity of war.

If I recall correctly. isn't there an old pil box in Tyne Cot cemetary?

Mowgli37 · Nov 8, 2014

Hillian1 said:
If I recall correctly. isn't there an old pil box in Tyne Cot cemetary?

There is indeed, I don't believe there is access to it though.

Thiepval is another site well worth a visit.

Hillian1 · Nov 8, 2014

Mowgli37 said:
There is indeed, I don't believe there is access to it though.

View attachment 59985

Thiepval is another site well worth a visit.

We did Thiepval, Vimy Ridge (Canadian), Beaumont Hammel (New Founland) and Deville Wood (South African) the year before while on a trip to the Somme.

Cadiz Seagull · Nov 8, 2014

Ive been many times, in August this year for the commemoration of the start of the war and going right back to the early 60's with my Grandfather who was in the battle of Mons and went right through the war.

Churchill described the Menin Gate as the most holy place in the British Empire.

It's an amazing place to visit and a very emotional experience. There are more and more people going every year, especially now with all the publicity about WW1.

But personally I found it most moving when the ceremony didn't attract many people. Yes it's worth seeing when there are hundreds there but somehow on the days when I went when there were three men and a dog, in the pouring rain, just a few people and the Belgian Fireman buglers it was somehow even more poignant. One of the hotel owners told me she felt it had become more of a tourist attraction than a simple ceremony of remembrance, which it was what it was supposed to be. I'm not sure she's right but I can see what she means. There's always a trade off between just a few people having a simple ceremony and the benefit of large numbers of people learning about the war. On balance the more people that go the better, as long as the authorities can keep the simplicity.

But I'm very glad I went when it was just my Grandad and me with a few of his chums in the Old Contemptibles.

We will remember them

ATFC Seagull · Nov 8, 2014

Hillian1 said:
It is a humbling experience in my opinion. (Menin Gate that is not the Coach trip)

If you get the chance, go to langermark, this is the German cemetary nearby.

Not sure why someone would give your post a thumbs down though.

Big shout to Langemark as part of a trip out there. Very dark place, mostly mass graves due to them being on the "losing" side. A load of working class kids sent to die for their country, no different from the British.

The Hon Sec · Nov 8, 2014

Hillian1 said:
We did Thiepval, Vimy Ridge (Canadian), Beaumont Hammel (New Founland) and Deville Wood (South African) the year before while on a trip to the Somme.

Went on a guided tour of these sites last month. Very interesting and moving.

Often do daytrips to France and Belgium and Ypres has been visited on a number of occasions. For some reason I always inspect the rota showing those groups who will be present at the Menin Gate each evening. Every day is covered by people from across the world it seems. This is displayed in the window of the bar next to the gate.

Hillian1 · Nov 8, 2014

ATFC Seagull said:
Big shout to Langemark as part of a trip out there. Very dark place, mostly mass graves due to them being on the "losing" side. A load of working class kids sent to die for their country, no different from the British.

On a visit to Lagermark in WW2 and finding it in pristine condition, a certain Mr Hitler issued an order that any German Soldier found to be desecrating British and Commonwealth graves/monuments would answer to him personally.

Cadiz Seagull · Nov 8, 2014

And one slight correction if I may Barry. The ceremony hasn't been carried out every night since 1928 for the simple reason that the Germans occupied Ypres during WW2 and they weren't so keen on the tradition!

But on the day that Ypres was liberated by the Poles the ceremony started again that evening, even though there was still fighting elsewhere in the town.

And it has been carried out every night since then. Long may it continue.

severnside gull · Nov 8, 2014

We have stopped by various sites as we have driven through over the years. The Menin Gate is the most atmospheric because of the last post ceremony even allowing for the numbers (most are respectful) attending but all bring a tear to the eye.
On Tuesday driving home from Amsterdam we stopped at Dunkerque where my wife's uncle is recognised and had the opportunity to thank the wonderful team of French gardeners who keep the Commonweath graves in the Pas de Calais and Sommes regions so immaculately maintained. They said that after years of doing the job there is invariably some point in each day that catches the throat and makes them pause for reflection. Sombering.

Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo! · Nov 8, 2014

Cadiz Seagull said:
................. it's worth seeing when there are hundreds there but somehow on the days when I went when there were three men and a dog, in the pouring rain, just a few people and the Belgian Fireman buglers it was somehow even more poignant. .....

It seemed to rain every time I went to Ypres and I concur with you completely here. I went with a work colleague, who's German, in the early 90's and from memory we were the only ones there that evening; very moving, both of us in tears. Langemark is also worth a visit and "dark" is a good description of the place, my German friend believed he may have relatives buried there but couldn't be sure; as someone's posted already, many of the German dead are buried in mass graves and unidentified it seems. Bloody EU eh?

Cheshire Cat · Nov 8, 2014

Mrs Cat went earlier this year and said it was one of the most moving experiences she had ever seen.

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