by Gary / 2 comments - Orginally published:11th November 2017

Lest we forget…

As you know, we love to travel; we enjoy the freedom hard won by those who have paid the ultimate price.

Our travels take us around the world and extensively through Europe. From our home in the south-east of the UK, we can be in Ypres in a matter of hours. In fact, Ypres is only 60 miles/95 km from Calais - our gateway into mainland Europe.

Ypres is a beautiful little town whose centrepiece, the Cloth Hall, is a gothic masterpiece. As you park in the Grote Markt car park, it's hard to imagine the horrors of 100 years ago. In fact, that magnificent Cloth Hall has been reconstructed from its near destruction in the First World War.

The pin image for our post - 'Our Royal British Legion Passchendaele Poppies'
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Where is Ypres?

How to get to Ypres

- By Car

If you’re venturing from the UK, jump on Le Shuttle and tour Belgium under your own steam.

Alternatively, it’s so easy to visit on a road trip. Rental Cars searches multiple well-known car hire brands and discovers the deals that suit you the best.

Commemorations of the Battle of Passchendaele

A time to reflect

In 2017, the BBC broadcast a series of commemorative events to recognise the centenary of the start of the Battle of Passchendaele. It was a new horror from the Great War that I was about to discover. I was aware of the significance of Ypres and that this battle is also known as the Third Battle of Ypres, but the name Passchendaele was new to me.

As the story unfolded, the true horror of this particular exercise in madness came into sharp focus. Allied troops marched through the town in northern Belgium to an unknown fate.

The box our royal british legion remembrance passchendaele pin
The box the Passchendaele Pin comes in

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A place of remembrance in Ypres

The Menin Gate
As the Allied soldier marched east, they crossed through Menenpoort, the remains of a medieval entrance to the city, as they made their way to the front lines. For many, they would not return.
Looking through the Menin Gate in the Belgium town of Ypres on a bright sunny day under deep blue skies
Looking through the Menin Gate, Ypres, Belgium
The nature of the battle was that many soldiers would be lost without a body to recover. The fields of Flanders would be their lasting resting place.
The side profile of the menin gate in ypres belgium
The Menin Gate in profile
Shortly after the war, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission instigated a lasting monument. Designed in 1921 by Sir Reginald Blomfield, a vast mausoleum was unveiled on 24th July 1927 over the route the troops would have taken.
One of the plaques of names commemorated on the Menin Gate, Ypres
The fallen on the Menin Gate
The monument holds the names of nearly 55,000 souls who have no grave—lost to the soil.

Where to stay in Ypres

Novotel Ieper Centrum
The hotel is located just a short stroll from the city centre, Cloth Hall and the Menin Gate. This friendly hotel is perfect for touring the surrounding battlefields and war cemeteries and is ideal for a road trip, as they had onsite car parking.

The Tyne Cot Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery

A place of Reflection

However, the story of those with no known grave does not end there. The Menin Gate only records the names who fell before the 16th August 1917.

A further memorial, and the graves of the bodies recovered, is located outside Passchendaele. The Tyne Cot cemetery is the largest in the world, for Commonwealth soldiers of any war.

Sep / 2018

Tyne Cot & Passchendaele, Belgium

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The Passchendaele Pins

Our reminder of their sacrifice
To commemorate those who fell at Passchendaele, the Royal British Legion commissioned a poppy pin to mark the centenary.
A close-up of the brass royal british legion passchendaele poppy pin, with a red enamel centre and a green leaf
A close-up of the Passchendaele Pin
The pin's brass poppy petals is made from some of the one million brass shell fuses that have been recovered, and continue to be recovered each year, by the farmers now working these fields.
A brass Royal British Legion Passchendaele Poppy Pin, with a red enamel centre and a green leaf, set in a pin display box.
The Passchendaele Pin in its gift box
A close-up of the back of our brass royal british legion remembrance passchendaele pins stamped with Ypres 1917
The back of the Passchendaele Pin
The red and green enamel contains finely ground earth from key locations of the battlefields.
The inner box for our royal british legion remembrance passchendaele pins
The inner box for the Passchendaele Pin
Image
The leaflet that comes with the Passchendaele Pins

Each pin is dedicated to the men who fell between the 31st of July 1917 and the 10th of November 1917.

Each pin commemorates the life of a soldier.

Janis's pin recognises Lance Corporal C Andrews of the Devonshire Regiment (Service No 14193), who fell on the 31st of July 1917.

The card that came with our royal british legion remembrance poppy pin for lance corporal c andrews as part of the every man remembered campaign
In commemoration of Lance Corporal C Andrews
My pin commemorates Corporal H Newson (Service No 14191) from the Norfolk Regiment, who died on the 22nd of October 1917.
The card that came with our royal british legion remembrance poppy pin for corporal h newson as part of the every man remembered campaign
In commemoration of Corporal H Newson

The Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate

Not to be missed
On our next visit to Ypres, we headed to the Tyne Cot Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery, and attended the Last Post Ceremony twice at the Menin Gate.

Each night buglers from the local fire brigade play the Last Post at 8:00 pm, in a ceremony that has taken place uninterrupted since the 2nd July 1928, except for occupation during World War II. For more information, check out the Last Post Association Web Site.

You can also view the official Royal British Legion video of the ceremony on YouTube:

Your commemorative poppy

A sign of remembrance

You can no longer purchase the Passchendaele Poppy. However, the Royal British Legion has an online store where you can purchase a wide variety of items.

In addition, the Royal British Legion have a store on Amazon, where you can check out a selection of their wares.

* This post may contain links to affiliated sites where we earn a small commission at no additional charge to you.

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  1. Reply

    I have an origional Passchendale Poppy with certificate of authentication, boxed up.

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