Notes in 1959 from CWGC Archives and St. George’s Memorial Church

In Ieper (Ypres) today there are two great memorials to the fallen of the Great War: the Menin Gate and St George’s Memorial Church. Each can be viewed with equal importance in regard to perpetual remembrance.

The memorials to the fallen in St Georges form an integral part of the uniqueness of this special church, be that the stained glass windows, the bells, kneelers, brass plaques or standards.

Place of Worship

St. George’s Church built as a place of worship and remembrance for those who served in the Ypres Salient, with many memorials donated by families and regiments. Constructed after the war in order to provide a place of worship for the many English families whose men were working on the cemeteries and memorials, it soon became a memorial in itself.

Many brass plaques representing famous British regiments line the walls and almost every article of furniture contributed by those who had a special reason for remembering Ypres.

The Canadian contributions include:

• The fine panelling around the altar, which was the gift of the Army Garrison at London, Ontario;
• Plaques given by the Canadian Machine Gun Corps and the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry; and,
• A stained-glass window dedicated to British and Canadian airmen who perished defending the Ypres Salient.

Origin of St. George’s Memorial Church

The Church and Settlement undoubtedly owe their origin to Field-Marshal Earl Haig who, in 1924, made a stirring appeal for a British Church to serve as a memorial to the half- a-million soldiers whose remains lie in the Garden of Flanders and in its Silent Cities.

The foundation stone of the Church laid on Sunday, July 24th, 1927, by Field-Marshal Lord Plumer, and t1le Church and all completed memorials dedicated by the Right Rev. The Lord Bishop of Fulham at a service held on March 24th, 1929. Although, however, Lord Plumer had raised sufficient funds for building the Church there was practically nothing left for an Endowment Fund.

A service held in the Church on July 7th, 1931 when the remaining memorials dedicated.

Second World War

During the 1939-45 war the Church used occasionally by the Germans as a place of worship. The stained glass windows removed to save them from damage and replaced in 1947.

It should be mentioned here that a debt of gratitude owed to the residents of Ypres for concealing during the 2nd World War the Church plate and the regimental banners and for the care given during the occupation to such plate and banners. At the conclusion of the Second World War the Church and Settlement buildings restored and put in order by the British Legion and since then it has been due to an annual grant made by the British Legion to the administrators that the maintenance of the Church and the provision of a Chaplain has been possible.

World Wars Memorial

The Church, which is really beautiful, built originally as a memorial to those who fell in the 1914-1915 war and now recognised also as a memorial to those of the British and Commonwealth Forces who fell in the 1939-1945 War.

Quite close to the Cathedral and Cloth hall, which will be so well remembered by those who served in France and Belgium, and is within five minutes walk of the famous Menin Gate, upon the walls of which are inscribed the names of nearly 55.000 officers, noncommissioned officers and men who have no known graves. In 1953 plaques unveiled in memory of the Australian and New Zealand forces and in 1955 a plaque (Plaque064) unveiled to the memory of the Canadian forces and in the same year the Canadian veterans provided a new heating system for the Church.

Visitors

It is felt that a large number who served in the first and second World Wars have no knowledge of the existence of the Church or the work it does, and any who would wish to make a pilgrimage and help in any way would be abundantly welcomed. Today the Church and Settlement the cadre of both the spiritual and social life of the British community residing within the Salient, the great majority of whom is comprised of the gardeners employed by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Visitors to the Church still come from all over the world. There were 2.000 in 1959, all on a pilgrimage of some kind, either to retrace the steps they trod in the four years of the first World War or to pay tribute to a loved one who has passed over.

Plaques

Plaque042 PTE. NORMAN ALVIN DICKSON 1ST UNIVERSITY BATTALION PRINCESS PATRICIAS CANADIAN LIGHT INFANTRY

Pte N A Dickson enlisted on 24 March 1915 at Guelph, Ontario. With PPCLI in France from 17 July 1915.Norman died 21 January 1976

Plaque064 CANADA

Plaque075 1914 – 1919 DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF LIEUTENANT COLONEL JOHN MC CREA

Plaque076 Wall Plaque Baptistry IN MEMORY OF THE FOLLOWING COMRADES OF THE CANADIAN CORPS

• Lt. HAROLD STRATTON MATTHEWS 2nd Battery C. F. A. June 3rd 1916 – Zillebecke
• Lt. ALEXANDER BALMER MCALLISTER 9th Battalion Canadian Rly Troops Sept. 23rd 1917 – Zillebecke (POPERINGHE NEW MILITARY CEMETERY)
• 18933 Pte. WILLIAM HOWARD CURTIS M.M. 2nd Battalion C. E. F. Oct. 8th 1916 – Courcelette (2ND CANADIAN CEMETERY, SUNKEN ROAD, CONTALMAISON)
• 147499 Gnr. HENRY PERCIVAL NEIL 2nd Heavy Battery C. F. A. Dec. 12th 1917 – Passchendaele (BARLIN COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION)
• 7633 Pte. WILLIAM FALCONER GIBSON 2nd Battalion C. E. F. April 24th 1915 – St. Julien
• 7659 Pte. GEORGE MINORGAN 2nd Batallion C. E. F. April 26th 1915 – St. Julien Remembered by Gnr ALEX I. BUTCHER 2nd Battery C. F. A.

Plaque077 THE RANGER FOUNDATION In Memory of those members Of the First Nations of Canada

Plaque085 THIS PLAQUE WAS ERECTED BY THE FORMER MEMBERS OF THE CANADIAN MACHINE GUN CORPS

Plaque086 Wall Plaque Baptistry IN MEMORY OF ALL RANKS PRINCESS PATRICIA’S CANADIAN LIGHT INFANTRY

Plaque089 SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF THE OFFICERS, NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE 16th BATTALION

Plaque090 In Memory of all ranks of the 15th Battalion (48th Highlanders of Canada)

Plaque096 NEWFOUNDLAND

Plaque119 IN MEMORY OF ALL RANKS 19TH CANADIAN INFANTRY BATTALION

Plaque190 114605 Private Archibald W. G. Marshall Canadian Mounted Rifles

SON OF MAGISTRATE AND MRS. G. A. J. A. MARSHALL, OF PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE, MANITOBA; HUSBAND OF HARRIET 0. V. G M. MARSHALL, OF 2716, 5TH AVENUE WEST, VANCOUVER.

Plaque192 In memory of Cpl. P. Howard Ferguson. M. M.

Plaque204 Wall Plaque North Wall In Memory of the “Old Boys”

Plaque259 Wall Plaque Altar

Plaque292 Wall Plaque South West Corner

Plaque324 Wall Plaque Baptistry BAILEY FAMILY MEMORIAL

Plaque394 25634 Cpl. JOHN JAMES RUSSON 14th. Batt. ROYAL MONTREAL REGT.

Plaque519 IN MEMORY OF 10009 PTE EVERARD MOORE BICKERSTAFF 3rd BATTALION

Chairs

Chair008 IN MEMORY OF FRANK ISMAY GILCHRIST “A” COMPANY 48TH HIGHLANDERS OF CANADA 15TH BATT

SON OF ANNA GILCHRIST, OF WEARVALE, CHESTER-LE-STREET, CO. DULHAM, ENGLAND, AND THE LATE THOMAS GILCHRIST.

Chair021 IN PROUD MEMORY OF MAJOR D.H. SINCLAIR 10th CANADIANS

Chair028 CORPORAL E.EDABURNETT 2nd CANADIAN INFANTRY

Chair092 PTE GEORGE W.BEECROFT 123rd BN. (ROYAL GRENADIERS)

Chair098 PTE.C.A.CROCKFORD 4th CANADIAN INFANTRY BATTN

Chair107 IN MEMORY OF WALTER BRADFIELD (BRAD) OF THE 19th EDMONTON REGIMENT OF CANADA

Kneelers

Kneeler025 Kneeler Kneelers CANADIAN CORPS CORPS CANADIEN

Kneeler172 Kneeler Kneelers VR1 THE ROYAL CANADIAN REGIMENT 733944 PTE. E.N. WENTZELL

Standard

Standard016 Standard South West Corner Canadian Flag Canada

Research

I must admit to being among those same people in 1959 who “have no knowledge of the existence of the Church or the work it does.” Happened upon an article in the CWGC Archives about the construction of the Menin Gate early this morning mentioning the construction of St. George’s Memorial Church. Shortly afterwards, discovered their amazing website.

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