At 20:00 hours every single day in the eastern Ramparts region of Ypres — on the site of an old gateway through which tens of thousands of troops marched to the frontline — the Last Post rings out, followed by an impeccably observed minute's silence held under the Menin Gate. With the exception of German occupancy during WW2, it has been that way since the 2nd of July 1928.
55,000 Names
This beautiful war memorial has almost 55,000 names carved into its towering stone walls. Each one commemorates a British or Commonwealth soldier who lost their life in battles across the Ypres Salient during the Great War. These are the fallen with no known grave — bodies never identified or found.
Regrettably, owing to the sheer volume of loss, only those casualties predating mid-August 1917 are displayed on the crowded walls. There are a further 35,000 missing persons commemorated at the nearby Tyne Cot Cemetery.
A Personal Account
I was honoured to attend a ceremony on the 20th of September 2022, and found it difficult to comprehend the scale of the tragedy. In the Flanders region alone — specifically the Ypres Salient, which was covered by German soldiers on three sides — it's estimated that more than half a million poor souls lost their lives. This is in an area covering little more than a handful of miles.
Attendance at the daily ceremony varies, but can range from dozens to hundreds, and even into the thousands on special occasions. This dignified tradition has been diligently carried out on more than 34,000 occasions.
If you ever find yourself in the area, I implore you to experience the moving ceremony and the majesty of the Menin Gate.