Some have asked; Why bother with a new Tank Memorial for the Ypres Salient today?

 

I hope the above photographs reveal the answer. 

These incredibly brave men, have had to wait for far too long for a public memorial, specifically designed to commemorate their sacrifices made so freely, throughout the terrible slough of the Ypres Salient in 1917.

History has been made and these pioneer tank crewmen, now have their own brand new Memorial. It may be 90+ years late in coming, but far better late than never.

Fear Naught men.

You are now publically remembered and commemorated on your very own

Tank Memorial Ypres Salient. Salute!

 

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*******NOTICE BOARD*******

 

 

 

**Information has been received raising the strong possibility, that several of the 

D29 Damon II tank crewmen were buried immediately after their deaths alongside their stricken tank. Their names today are listed on the Tyne Cot Memorial to the missing. This raises the strong possibility that they are still in situ at the site of the

Tank Memorial Ypres Salient.

If this being the case, then the Tank Memorial is not only a memorial, but is also a headstone to these fallen tank crewmen. This information has come to light, via a newspaper article citing a personal hand written letter from the tank commander to the father of one of his fallen tank crewmen.

Johan and myself will make this issue a priority and will do our best to bring this incredible story to the necessary conclusion.

Please go to page 2 for more information and photos on the current situation;

 

 

The next annual Tank Memorial Ypres Salient ceremony will take place at 11am on Saturday 5th June 2010. This ceremony will commemorate the 7th June 1917 Battle of Messines which was a great success for the British. This battle also saw the first use of tanks in the Ypres Salient.

 

The ceremony will be very low key compared to the Inauguration Ceremony. All are very welcome. The ceremony will run similar to this:

 

11.am

 

The placing of the Garden of Remembrance

The raising of the Tank Corps/RTR Tricolour

Call to attention

The Last Post ( PA or LPA bugler )

The Exhortation

2 minutes silence

The placing of wreaths

The lament ( Tank Memorial piper )

The Kohima prayer

 

* The Ceremony will conclude with the playing of the Tank Corps/RTR march,

"My Boy Willie"

 

* The only official invitations issued will be to the Burgermeesters of Messines, Wijtschate and Langemark-Poelkapelle however, ALL are very much welcome.

They will also be offered the chance to prepare and offer a speech each if required.

As pre noted, the Royal Tank Regiment offer us their best wishes and hope for a most succesful ceremony in their absence. They will be thinking of us I'm sure, as much as we will be thinking of them, wherever they may be...

 

The Standards of the Royal Tank Regiment Associations, the Entente, the Ypres Branch of the Royal British Legion and the British Torch of Remembrance Belgium Branch will be the only official Standards invited to attend.

* Any other attending remembrance and commemoration Standards will be very much welcome of course.

Immediately afterwards, the Cafe de Zwaan will open for refreshments. They have a large beer garden for summer use. There is the possibility that this venue could be closed for buisiness by then. If so, then another venue will be sought in time for this event...

The same evening Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing, has already been successfully booked to commemorate the fallen tank crews that fell on that ridge. Again, all are welcome to attend this very important ceremony.

Public wreaths placed on behalf of the Tank Memorial are also very welcome.

 

On behalf of the Royal Tank Regiment, the Tank Memorial Ypres Salient Committee and the Burgermeesters Office of Langemark-Poelkapelle, we all look forward to seeing old friends again and the meeting of new friends.

 

FEAR NAUGHT

 

Chris Lock

Royal Tank Regiment Association

 

Coordinator/Sponsor

Tank Memorial Ypres Salient.

 

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Captain Ian Thompson and the contingent of NCO's, piper and soldiers of

the 1st Royal Tank Regiment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above right:The Royal Tank Regiment piper plays the lament.

Above left:The standard bearers of the Royal Tank Regiment Association,

the Royal British Legion Ypres branch, the British Torch of Remembrance Belgium branch and the Entente, dip their standards in front of the many wreaths and the 243 personalised poppy tributes placed on behalf of the men listed on this Memorial.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The attending Royal Tank Regiment Officer deligation.

Major General C M Deverell MBE, Deputy Colonel Commandant Royal Tank Regiment. 

Brigadier D Eccles CBE, British Army representative to SHAPE &

Lt Col (Retd) Stephen May, Regimental Colonel RHQ RTR.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Her Britannic Majestys Ambassador to Belgium's personal representative,

The British Consul for West Flanders presents the wreath on behalf of the British Embassy to Belgium.

Mr Paul Breyne, Governor of West Flanders delivers his speech surrounded by the standards of the Entente.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mr Alain Wyffels Burgermeester of Langemark-Poelkapelle &

the Czechoslovac Veterans Association Representative to Belgium, Milena Kolarikova.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mr Chris Lock of the Royal Tank Regiment Association, Tank Memorial Ypres Salient Sponsor and Coordinator offers the opening speech on behalf of all present.

 

Amongst others, the following Standard bearers and Standards were in attendance and we thank them most warmly for their committment and respect offered to the Tank Memorial. Please see below list:

 

Standard bearer & Standard Mr. Bouxom Maurice Nationaal Verbond Veteranen Leopold IIIMr Cardoen Lieven Nationale Federatie Oudstrijders 1940-1945 afdeling Moorslede Mr. Deleye Gerard Nationale Federatie Oudstrijders 1940-1945 afdeling Roeselare Mr. Denturck Albert Europese Confederatie van Oudstrijders en Militairen België Mr. Hossey Nick Verbroedering Belgisch Partizanenleger Mr. Loof Ronny Royal British Legion Ypres Branch Mss. Vlamynck Léontine Vriendenkring Oudgedienden van de RAF-SAAF Mr. Mahieu Peter Brigade Piron Mr. Vitse Gilbert Koninklijke Menslievende Vereniging der Dragers van Eretekens en Medailles van België 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The family relatives of Captain Clement Robertson VC attend the days ceremonies along with several other tank action soldiers families.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Poelkapelle school choir, "Litteliedoe" and the Poelkapelle choir "Alakapelle" under the directions of Director Griet Borremans, sing the Ypres League marching song,

"Tramping along to a little tin whistle and an old toy drum"

Many tears were shed during this wonderful tribute to the soldiers now long gone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above left: Luc Vanbeselaere offers the welcoming speech as

the Assistant Chaplain General Revd Francis P A Barber CF (RC) 1st (UK) Armoured Division conducts the Service assisted by the Revd Patrick Irwin CF (COE) Senior Chaplian SHAPE and father Bart Demuynck the Village Priest.

Above right:The dignatories stand for the Service.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mr Edward Hefferman MBE, Trustee to the Royal British Legion places his wreath after the buglers from the Last Post Association have played the last post and reveille.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above left: The Belgium military representative

Kolonel Vlieger R Theys, Militair Commandant

Provincie West Vlaanderen pays his respects.

 

 

Above right: Mr Jeremy Banning, on behalf of former Pte and Lewis Gunner, Harry Patch of the 7th Battalion Duke of Cornwall Light Infantry, reads Harry's very last drafted letter, written and dedicated to the men served by this Tank Memorial. Harry was to be our guest of honour but sadly recently passed away aged 111. He was the last fighting Tommy. His biographer Richard Van Emden watched on from the crowd.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above left: The Tank Memorial Ypres Salient wreath is placed by Chris Lock and Johan Vanbeselaere.

Above right: The massed pipes and drums of the Ypres Surrey, Passchendaele 1917 and the Flanders Memorial bands play " Highland Cathedral "

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above left: Memorial committee member Johan Vanbeselaere accepts the tank plate donation from Mr Johan Vandewalle on behalf of the Tank Memorial and then secures the tank plate into position.

Above right: The 243 personalised poppy tributes stand row upon row at the base of the Memorial. Each tribute stands proud in flanders fields soil.

The Garden of Remembrance was constructed by Frans Hoijtink and Mel Searston with assistance from John Reed, after Milena Kolarikova had spent 2 days personalising each cross. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commemoration and Remembrance sit side by side.

 

The Regimental Standard & motto FEAR NAUGHT.

 

Above left and right: A Belgian WW2 veteran attends the Tank Memorial to pay his deep respects to an allied nations fallen tank crewmen,

whilst a young lad peeps around the Memorial to see what all the fuss is about.

No doubt the veteran in this picture was that boy at his Village War Memorial many years ago soon after WW1.

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For UK donations:

 

 

and send to the coordinator @

Neerstraat 14, Ypres 8900, Belgium

( Please ask for receipt if required )

 

OR

 

For Euro donations:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This classic sketch appeared after the Great War.

It reveals F41 Fray Bentos Of F Battalion Tank Corps under enemy infantry attack at Gallipoli farm. The tank would also come under British infantry attack whilst immobilised in No Man's Land as they believed it was in German hands. 

Section Commander Capt D H Richardson and the crew of F41 held out for 3 days and nights before safely making their way back to British lines. All crew members were wounded with 1 crewman being killed. 2 MC's, 1 DCM and 6 MM's would be awarded to this tank crew for their incredible endurance and determined defence of their stricken tank. The battlefield location and story of Fray Bentos and her brave crew will be revealed and visited on the Sunday morning tank tour.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above:

Captain D H Richardson Tank Corps MC CdG.

 

 

Above right:

Capt D H Richardson's Medal Group showing MC, CdG with palm. He was also awarded a MID. ( His bronze oak leaf is attached to his medal ribbon bar not in photo )

 

Right:

Capt D H Richardson wearing Tank Corps ceremonial dress with his bride.