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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.

St George’s Church Ypres – Church exterior

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.

Field-Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, KT, GCB, GCVO, KCIE, Commander-in-Chief, France, From December 15th 1915. Painted at General Headquarters, May 30th 1917 (Art.IWM ART 324)

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.

Herbert_Plumer_by_William_Orpen_IWM_Art.IWM_ART_2398

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.

Before its destruction during the Great War, the Cloth Hall in the Belgian City of Ypres one of the last surviving medieval architectural marvels of Northern Europe. Originally built by wealthy Flemish cloth guilds, the Hall a splendid example of Gothic civic architecture. The Cloth Hall, Ypres shows the destruction brought about by repeated shelling by air and artillery fire. Only the central tower of the guild hall remains recognizable amid the rubble, while on the right, the Cathedral is in ruins. The central tower and one wing of the hall, eventually rebuilt, and the debris of the other wing cleared, save for some of the original pillars, which remained as a War Memorial.

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

Wall Plaque South West Corner
St. George’s Memorial Church
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

Wall Plaque Baptistry
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)

Wall Plaque Baptistry
St. George’s Memorial Church
In Memory of all ranks of the 15th Battalion (48th Highlanders of Canada) Canadian Expeditionary Force Who served and those who fell in the Ypres salient 1915-1918 Dileas Gu Brath Maitland F. and Alice B. Newman Trust

Plaque096 NEWFOUNDLAND

Wall Plaque Baptistry
NEWFOUNDLAND In honour of the memory of all members of The Royal Newfoundland Regiment that served in the Great War of 1914-1918 More than 2000 men and women from The Dominion of Newfoundland and Labrador paid the supreme sacrifice and thousands more were wounded in the cause of peace and freedom. More than 13,000 citizens of Newfoundland served in the militaries of Newfoundland, Canada, United Kingdom, USA, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. ‘GOD GUARD THEE, NEWFOUNDLAND’ Placed by ?

Plaque119 IN MEMORY OF ALL RANKS 19TH CANADIAN INFANTRY BATTALION

Wall Plaque North Wall
N MEMORY OF ALL RANKS 19TH CANADIAN INFANTRY BATTALION C.E.F. WHO LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES IN THE 1914 – 18 WAR.

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

Wall Plaque North West Corner
In loving memory of 114605 Private Archibald W. G. Marshall Canadian Mounted Rifles Killed in action June 2nd 1916 In 2nd Battle of Ypres His wife and family remembers.

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

Wall Plaque Altar
TO THE GLORY OF GOD – AND IN MEMORY OF THE OFFICERS NCOs AND MEN OF LONDON ONTARIO – WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918 – THIS PANELLING IS PRESENTED BY THE GARRISON OF LONDON CANADA

Plaque292 Wall Plaque South West Corner

Wall Plaque South West Corner
To the glory of God – and in memory of the officers W.Os. N.C.Os & men of the PRINCE of WALES LEINSTER REGT ROYAL CANADIANS who fell near Ypres while serving their king and country during the Great War 1914-1918

Plaque324 Wall Plaque Baptistry BAILEY FAMILY MEMORIAL

Wall Plaque Baptistry
BAILEY FAMILY MEMORIAL In memory of our grandfather C.S.M. Henry Arthur Bailey 60th Bn Canadian Expedition Force and his brothers who were killed in action L/Cpl William Edward Bailey Middlesex Regiment Pte Oliver Bealey Royal Fusiliers

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

Wall Plaque North West Corner 25634 Cpl. JOHN JAMES RUSSON 14th. Batt. ROYAL MONTREAL REGT. 1st CANADIAN INFANTRY DIVISION YPRES, St. JULIEN 1915 THIPEVAL RIDGE 1916 SOMME 1916 VIMY RIDGE 1917 DIED 13th. JUNE 1948

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

Chairs
IN PROUD MEMORY OF MAJOR D.H. SINCLAIR 10th CANADIANS WOUNDED AT YPRES 25th APRIL 1915 DIED GLASGOW 9th FEBRUARY 1967

Chair028 CORPORAL E.EDABURNETT 2nd CANADIAN INFANTRY

IN MEMORY OF CORPORAL E.EDABURNETT 2th CANADIAN INFANTRY SEPT 12th 1916

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

Chairs
PTE GEORGE W.BEECROFT 123rd BN. (ROYAL GRENADIERS) CANADIAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE)

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

Chairs
IN PROUD MEMORY OF PTE.C.A.CROCKFORD 4th CANADIAN INFANTRY BATTN (MACHINE GUNNER) WHO SERVED IN THE YPRES SALIENT. AND DIED IN CANADA 1942

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

Kneelers VR1
THE ROYAL CANADIAN REGIMENT 733944 PTE. E.N. WENTZELL THE ROYAL CANADIAN REGIMENT IN MEMORIUM 16th NOVEMBER 1917 aged 20 yrs PTE 733944 EVERETT NATHANIEL WENTZELL. ROYAL CANADIAN REGIMENT SON OF WILLIAM and JENNIE WENTZELL OF WENTZELL’S LAKE, LUNENBURG CO, NOVA SCOTIA KNÉELER DONATED BY GREAT NIECE DR HEATHER MACKINNON.

Standard

Standard016 Standard South West Corner Canadian Flag Canada

Flag, Red Ensign, Canadian (FLA 5361) This flag flown during the Great War at Vimy Ridge, Lens, Hill 70, and Passchendaele, 1917.

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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St. George’s Memorial Church of the Great War