The view of the square from our window was well worth the walk from the station
To the right was the Cloth Hall which houses a Museum to the first World War
and to the left was the street leading down to the Menin Gate
It was hard to believe these beautiful buildings were blown to smithereens during World War 1
We took another minibus tour with Salient Tours to nearby war graves especially Passchendaele and Tyne Cot Cemetery where there 1368 Australian graves, the majority being unidentified. (I will never forget hearing an American accent saying "so many Aussie soldiers known only unto God")
In the background is the Cross of Sacrifice
This was the site of several German Blockhouses and one can be seen amongst the graves below
Nearby was museum at Sanctuary Wood and restored bunkers
We returned to Ypres and that night at 8pm attended the ceremony at the Menin Gate.
The 'Last Post' is sounded every night whatever the weather. The Gate (built in 1927) has the names of 54,896 soldiers and 6176 are Australian.
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
(John McCrae)
