Band in war-grave pilgrimage
Date published: 29 July 2009
The Mayor of Ypres Luc Dehaene (second right) with (from left) Elizabeth and Joshua Bowker, Councillor Ken Hume and musical director Chris Partington
DELPH Youth Band gave a poignant performance at the Menin Gate in front of a crowd of more than 1,000 people.
They had the honour of playing “Abide with Me” and the Belgian national anthem at the daily last post ceremony in Ypres.
Members Elizabeth and Joshua Bowker then laid a wreath at the memorial which names nearly 54,896 British and Commonwealth soldiers who died in the Ypres Salient in World War I. Their relative, Pte Stanley Waite, was part of the 34th Field Ambulance Royal Army Medical Corps, of Ashton Road, Oldham. He died at the age of 24.
The teenagers were joined by Saddleworth parish councillor Ken Hulme, one of the parents on the trip.
The ceremony was part of a five-day visit to Belgium by 26 members of the band. As well as playing at the Menin Gate on Belgium’s National Day, they gave concerts in Ostend, Ypres and at a theme park.
Elizabeth and Joshua also presented a book on the history of Saddleworth during the First World War to the mayor of Ypres on behalf of the parish council.
Councillor Hulme said: “It was a tremendously moving occasion and one which we all felt honoured to have been asked to participate in. A large contingent of Canadian ex-service people were also present.
“The visit to Belgium, as well as being a great adventure for our young people, also brought home to them the real tragedy of the conflict their great, great fathers and uncles were caught up in.
“Many of the young people in the band along with the parents who accompanied them were clearly very moved.”
