Flanders and the rest of Belgium will this weekend mark the 80th anniversary of its liberation in the Second World War with several events, including in Ypres, the town forever associated with conflict.
Ieper, also known as Ypres in West Flanders, is an area that saw intense fighting throughout the First World War. Known to the British troops based there during the war as ‘Wipers’, the town is intrinsically linked with the war.
However, celebrations to mark this week’s WW2 anniversary will also take place in and around the Flemish town. These include the local British Soldiers’ Club which celebrates the landmark with a garden party, drama tour and music from British Grenadier Guards band.
Celebrating the liberation of Belgium
On 6 September, 80 years after Belgium’s liberation, the band of the British Grenadier Guards will perform in the garden of Talbot House at 3pm. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission will also be present, with their ‘Legacy of Liberation Campaign’.
It was through Talbot House, a British soldier’s club in Poperinge during the First World War, that British gardeners and their families were able to flee the German invasion. Their ‘Torch of Commemoration’ will be on display during the garden party. In the evening, there will be another performance with 1940’s music by The Jacquelines. Poperinge was liberated by the Polish General Maczek and on 5 September 2024, the town welcomed his granddaughter to open the exhibition about the liberation.
On 7 September, there will be a grand public event where actors will dress as their predecessors and bring their stories back to life during a theatrical walk, through Talbot House. A supporting cast of living historians and performances aims to ensure plenty of fun in the garden.
BBC journalist recalls the liberation of Talbot House
Simon Louagie, manager of Talbot House, said: “The Liberation Festival is guaranteed to be a memorable party that touches the heart of all who join us.”
Among the stories being recounted are those from Frank Gillard, a former BBC journalist and Talbot House warden. He was the penultimate British volunteer until April 1939 who returned on Liberation Day. Gillard recalls the day, saying:
“We pulled up outside the front door of the Old House. A great Union Jack was hanging from an upper window. The place badly needed a coat of paint, but otherwise, externally, it was in excellent condition.
“Not even a pane of glass was broken. The big front door swung open, and there, in the entrance hall, stood a reception committee – armed members of the Belgian Resistance Movement who were standing guard over this piece of British property.
“Finally, the big moment had arrived. A little after noon on Wednesday 6 September 1944, Talbotousians heard the roar of engines. Belgian flags waved in the streets and the first Polish tank stopped at the door. Talbot House had been liberated.”
Bringing the stories of Talbot House to life
Louagie added, “Being liberated by the BBC is something few can say I think”. He explained what will be happening this weekend, saying:
“80 years later, we bring the stories of Talbot House during World War II to life. There may not be a tank involved, but the band of the Grenadier Guards, along with our Talbotousians, will certainly celebrate a memorable ‘Liberation Festival’.
“When the British Soldiers’ Club was exposed in 1941, volunteers managed to drag away and hide all the original artefacts. Thousands of books, dozens of paintings, a piano and even the entire chapel disappeared in a few hours when night fell. Even the Gestapo failed to touch the soul of the House.
“Thanks to our volunteers’ eternal optimism and sense of duty, after the liberation the House could welcome back British servicemen almost immediately.
“Stories like this sound almost too good to be true. But they ring true and will be beautifully illustrated at our celebration with photos, film and interviews.
“Our Liberation Festival, will further highlight and thank our predecessors at Talbot House. Without them, the club would have been long gone. It is wonderful to see their successors taking up the torch to this day.”
Commonwealth War Graves visitor centre
Meanwhile, a new Commonwealth War Graves visitor centre has opened in Ypres, described as “a vital part of any trip to the Belgian battlefields”.
The centre stands at the heart of commemorations in Belgium directly across from the Menin Gate where the last post is sounded every night at 8pm, every day of the year. Visitors to the newly opened centre can discover more about cemeteries and memorials in Ieper and the work of Commonwealth War Graves teams in Belgium and around the world. You also get the chance to undertake research on the Commonwealth War Graves centre database.
A spokesperson for the centre said, “It forms the perfect starting point when visiting the WW1 battlefields and the cemeteries and memorials when those who fell are today commemorated”.
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