Passchendaele
Warwick Explorers Act of Remembrance 2009 ‘Passchendaele'
The 3rd Battle of the Ypres 1917 ~ 92nd Anniversary
So what’s the point?
This letter tries to convey the horror of War. It shows what can happen if democracies, basic human rights are not up held & hatred is allowed to prevail. Also the importance of Remembrance, which is a key to stopping these mistakes in the future.
The 1917 Battle of Passchendaele, also known as the Third Battle of Ypres, was one of the major battles of World War I, fought by the British, Australian and New Zealand Army Corps(ANZAC) and Canadian soldiers against the German Army. It started on 31 July 1917.
The area in which the battle took place was largely reclaimed marshy & swampy ground even without rain. An extremely heavy preparatory bombardment by the British Artillery, before the battle started, tore up the surface of the land, and heavy rain from August onwards produced an impassable terrain of deep "liquid mud", in which an unknown number of soldiers drowned. Even the newly-developed tanks got bogged down. The Germans were well entrenched in their bunkers on the high ground!
The village of Passchendaele was finally taken by the Canadian forces on November 6 1917, but the allies suffered almost half a million casualties, and the Germans, just over a quarter of a million.
In the history of World War I, the term 'Passchendaele' has become a symbol of the extreme brutality of mechanized warfare. It is estimated that there are still a ¼ of a million men from all sides still lying under the soil of the original battle fields, their final resting place only ‘Known unto God’ all of them someone’s Husband, Father, Son, Brother, Cousin, Nephew or Lover. Ironically, the famous poem written by Lieutenant Colonel, Dr. John McCrae, of the Canadian Medical Corps, in 1915 seems to have foreseen what was coming, "In Flanders Fields"
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.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch, be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields
Every evening since 1930, at precisely eight o'clock, the Last Post - the traditional salute to the fallen warrior - has been played under the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres. This daily tribute, performed by a team of local buglers serves to honour the memory of the soldiers of the British Empire, who fought and died in the defence of Ypres. Every evening traffic flowing through the Menin Gate memorial in the town stops while the Last Post is sounded.
During our trip we will form part of the official tribute on the evening of Remembrance Sunday 8th November 2009, see the following link for more detail, http://www.lastpost.be/mainpage.htm, go to the link ‘Calendar’ and select November.
Do your bit for the Future!
YOU can play your part in preventing this sort of human disaster happening again. HOW? By ensuring that future generations do not forget the catastrophic events of WW I & WW II
Scouting is recognized across the globe as the largest youth peace movement the world has ever known. About 28 million young people & leaders in 2008, probably approaching a ½ billion since Baden Powell started scouting in 1907!
Who can take part?
Any member of an Explorer or Network Unit, Young or Adult Leader.
When? How much? How Long?
• From 6th-9th November 2009
• About £160, depends on travel & accommodation costs and numbers
• 3 night, 4 Day trip
• Deposit by 20/12/08, 1st Installment by 13/02/09 And Final Payment by 27/06/09 What Next? Fill in the ‘I’m interested Form! & return it to Andy Buckley at address below by the 20/12/08 with your deposit.