Ieper

Ieper is a small city in northern Belgium. It has a population of about 35,000 people. Many tourists come here but, it is a quiet place. Ieper is famous for another reason. It is a place to remember and pay respect to the dead.

Ieper was the site of several fierce battles in World War I. Many young British, Canadian, and German men died in and around the city. There were three large battles for control of Ieper during the war. When the last battle ended in 1917, there was nothing left of Ieper. The war completely destroyed the country.

The war ended in 1918, but the people couldn’t forget what happened. They built many memorials to honour the young men who died at Ieper. Even today, people visit and remember the war each day in Ieper at the Menin Gate. The gate has the names of more than 54,000 Commonwealth (British, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand and others) soldiers.

At 8 o’clock every evening, everyone and everything near the Menin Gate halts. Cars and people don’t move. People meet silently at the gate. The Ieper Fire Brigade plays the Last Post. This is a military song. Some people cry. It is a very emotional experience.