The Menin Gate in an impressive memorial to the men who died during World War I in the Belgium town of Ypres (Iepers). For the duration of the war, the Ypres Salient was the scene of terrible fighting and was nicknamed "Wipers" by the British soldiers who fought there.
Over 250,000 men from United Kingdom and the Commonwealth fell in the fighting close to this old town. Of those who died, around 100,000 have no acknowledged burial plot and close to half of those are commemorated on the Menin Gate. This memorial to the missing has the names of 54,000 men from all around the globe.
Almost everywhere in the Western Front battlefields of Belgium and France, there are numerous memorials but the Menin Gate is significant for more than just its over all size. The gate is located at the Eastern exit of the town and the road leads right to the old front line. The memorial was created by the British government and was unveiled in 1927. Its spot seems appropriate and lots of the men whose names are carved on the Menin Gate, will have marched along this exact road to the front line, destined never to come back.
The locals of Ypres were all to aware of the debt of thanks they owed the fallen that they came up with an plan to honour them. Ever since 1928, every night at 8pm, cars are stopped from passing by the Menin Gate and a brief ceremony takes place. Buglers from the Last Post Association and district fire brigade assemble to play the "Last Post". The ceremony should not be perceived as recreational, it is a solemn affair and although the public are free to attend the ceremony, they should not forget the reasons that it takes place.
The ceremony has taken place each evening from 2nd July 1928, only disrupted for the duration of World War II after the town was occupied by Germany. During the occupation of Ypres, the ceremony took place at Brookwood Military Cemetery in Surrey, Great Britain. The precise day that Ypres was liberated from the Germans in World War II, was again carried out at the Menin Gate.
Over 250,000 men from United Kingdom and the Commonwealth fell in the fighting close to this old town. Of those who died, around 100,000 have no acknowledged burial plot and close to half of those are commemorated on the Menin Gate. This memorial to the missing has the names of 54,000 men from all around the globe.
Almost everywhere in the Western Front battlefields of Belgium and France, there are numerous memorials but the Menin Gate is significant for more than just its over all size. The gate is located at the Eastern exit of the town and the road leads right to the old front line. The memorial was created by the British government and was unveiled in 1927. Its spot seems appropriate and lots of the men whose names are carved on the Menin Gate, will have marched along this exact road to the front line, destined never to come back.
The locals of Ypres were all to aware of the debt of thanks they owed the fallen that they came up with an plan to honour them. Ever since 1928, every night at 8pm, cars are stopped from passing by the Menin Gate and a brief ceremony takes place. Buglers from the Last Post Association and district fire brigade assemble to play the "Last Post". The ceremony should not be perceived as recreational, it is a solemn affair and although the public are free to attend the ceremony, they should not forget the reasons that it takes place.
The ceremony has taken place each evening from 2nd July 1928, only disrupted for the duration of World War II after the town was occupied by Germany. During the occupation of Ypres, the ceremony took place at Brookwood Military Cemetery in Surrey, Great Britain. The precise day that Ypres was liberated from the Germans in World War II, was again carried out at the Menin Gate.
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Together with the imposing Cloth Hall, the Menin Gate in Ypres are the two most well known buildings in the town that was practically destroyed during World War I.. This article, Menin Gate and the Last Post is available for free reprint.
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