IEPER: THEN AND NOW At

IEPER: THEN AND NOW At the end of the First World War, Ypres (now Ieper) was in ruins. Very soon after the Armistice people began visiting the Ypres Salient and the city became a place of pilgrimage. At the same time, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), formerly Imperial War Graves Commission, was taking its first steps in burying the dead of the British Empire Forces and building cemeteries and memorials in their honour. Join us for a walking tour of Ieper and discover the role of the CWGC in creating the landscapes of remembrance we know today. 1 4 5 IEPER IN FOCUS 1 YPRES RESERVOIR CEMETERY Plumerlaan, 8900 Ieper From 1915 until 1918 this cemetery was used by fighting units and field ambulances. After the Armistice this site became the final resting place for over 2,600 First World War servicemen. 2 MINNEPLEIN Minneplein, 8900 Ieper In early 1919 people began to return to Ypres. Due to the level of destruction, there was hardly any housing left for those who arrived. On this location temporary accommodation was erected. regular worship and served as a place of reflection for many. The church also acted as a memorial to those who lost their lives in the Ypres Salient. 4 MARKET SQUARE Grote Markt, 8900 Ieper After the Armistice, people soon began to visit Ypres. Some were comrades and family of those who had lost their lives in the Ypres Salient, others came to see the battlefields and sites of memory. In the 1920’s the city was reconstructed in the pre-war style. 2 3 3 ST. GEORGE’S MEMORIAL CHURCH Elverdingestraat 1, 8900 Ieper An English-speaking community had located themselves in Ypres after the Armistice and many more were visiting the city as part of their pilgrimage. This Anglican Church, dedicated in 1929, offered 5 MENIN GATE MEMORIAL Menenstraat, 8900 Ieper The memorial commemorates by name over 54,000 officers and men who served with the British Empire forces in the Ypres Salient and who have no known grave. It was unveiled in 1927.