Great Pilgrimage 90 (photos to follow below, also*)
*See Facebook pages for amazing photos and videos of this historic event and the unbelievable mass parade of 1,100+ Standards with 1,100+ Wreaths:
GP90 Coach 930 and NewtonNewton (Flagmakers) eg Link to Forces TV broadcast
Link to TRBL GP 90 Official photos (you don't have to log in, select one and scroll through others; be patient whilst downloading).
A decade after the end of WW1, the British Legion (as it was then known) organised for veterans and war widows to visit the battlefields of the Somme and Ypres before marching to the Menin Gate in Ypres on 8th August 1928.
Exactly 90 years later, thousands of Legion representatives recreated the 1928 Battlefields Pilgrimage and visited the same battlefields and then, on 8th August 2018, paraded their branch standard and a wreath along the same route to the Menin Gate for the One Hundred Days ceremony to commemorate the last 100 days of WW1 and represented an entire generation that served while defending their country.
Thirteen RBL Branches were represented on this incredible pilgrimage: Bransty, Brampton, Carlisle and Stanwix, Egremont, Harrington, Kendal, Penrith, Seaton, Sedbergh, Tebay, Wathbrow, Windermere and Cumberland & Westmorland. Each branch was represented by a Standard Bearer and a Wreath Layer. They joined over 2200 representatives from other national and international Branches.
The tour of the battlefields included visiting the Somme and Passchendaele. The Standards of Ulverston and Bransty were raised at Thiepval and Delville Woods [South African] memorials, the Last Post was played by the Kendal Branch bugler. A very fitting and poignant tribute to the fallen of Cumberland and Westmorland.
Then, on 8th August 2018, members of the public come and gathered in Ypres Market Square as spectators to watch the parade and the One Hundred Days ceremony. Large screens were provided in the Market Square to view the ceremony. Over 1100 standard bearers paraded through Ypres’ streets & Market Square, as well as over 1100 wreath layers, to the Menin Gate.
A service was conducted at the Menin Gate, including an address from the Bishop of Carlisle and the Archbishop of York.
The Queen’s message to us ended: “As you stand together at the Menin Gate and in Flanders, it is my sincere hope that the ceremony provides a thought provoking opportunity to assist in your own acts of Remembrance”.
A petal fall added a very moving tribute during the Last Post and two minute silence.
The 1100 wreaths were then laid at the Menin Gate.
The parade then returned through Ypres to the Market Square, applauded by the 1000s of spectators.
Following the ceremony, there was an afternoon of exhibitions and musical performances, including The Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines Scotland, The Central Band of The Royal British Legion and The London Welsh Male Voice Choir.
Richard Glenister, Windermere RBL Branch Wreath Layer says
“I had the honour and privilege of being the Windermere Wreath Bearer escorting Mr. Edgar Holme the Windermere Standard Bearer.
The emotional impact of over 1,100 TRBL Standard Bearers accompanied by the same number of Wreath Bearers is indescribable. My eyes well up no matter how many times I view any videos of the massive parade as I found the whole event most humbling and emotionally draining.”
Judith Reay, Cumberland & Westmorland Wreath Layer says
“I feel totally overwhelmed and humbled by the whole experience.
Making this pilgrimage to the battlefields highlights the sacrifice of millions of servicemen and women and the great debt we owe each and every one of them.
I feel honoured to have been part of this once in a lifetime event.”
All 1,100+ Wreaths Displayed (see Windermere's below, last photo)
Wreath card
Cross at Menin Gate placed for Windermere Town Council
Windermere's Wreath and Standard Bearers - Richard and Edgar
Windermere's Poppy Wreath on display at the Menin Gate
Courtesy Ypres Branch TRBL who painstakingly photographed every single one of over 1,100 wreaths and made available via their Facebook page.
