The Last Post Association

The Last Post Association is an independent, voluntary organisation which was founded in 1928 with the aim of providing a daily tribute in perpetuity to the British and Commonwealth soldiers who fell in Flanders during World War One.

The organisation sounded its first Last Post at the Menin Gate in Ypres on July 1, 1928, not quite a year after the Memorial had been dedicated and, with the exception of several months and a period during World War Two, has done so on a daily basis ever since.

On Anzac Day 2007, the 27,000th Last Post ceremony took place at 8 pm, which has now replaced sunset as the traditional time. The ceremony attracts hundreds of visitors each night and frequently has guests such as choirs and pipers taking part. In the last few years the numbers of people attending have risen dramatically.

The idea of the Ypres "Salute to the Fallen Warrior" originally came from Superintendent P Vandenbraambussche of the city's police and the privilege of playing the Last Post was given to buglers from the volunteer fire brigade. Today, the Last Post Association buglers must be members of the brigade and wear its uniform for the ceremony.

The association is a registered non-profit organisation although it has the power to raise funds to support its aims. Additional support is provided by other organisations and through the years a number of silver bugles have been donated to replace those that have become worn.

The association's website provides an annual calendar, details of how to participate in a ceremony and information about membership:
http://www.lastpost.be/

On Anzac Day 2007, the association's Chairman, Mr Benoit Mottrie, the Mayor of Ypres, Mr Luc Dehaene, and two buglers, Mr Raf Decombel and Mr Rik Vandekerckhove, were attending a special service dedicated to the Menin Gate ceremony in Hamilton, New Zealand.

The same day in Ypres traditionally sees the Australians and New Zealanders joining together for an Anzac ceremony at the Gate itself following national services at Messines for the New Zealanders and Tyne Cot for the Australians.

(Top photo Di Mackey; lower photo City of Ypres)