New plaque for Memorial Park
Waiting for the order to advance across the shellmarked and bulletswept landscape of Belgium in 1917, Arthur Madox Major hoped his wife back home was doing okay.
But his best wishes for his beloved Gertrude hint at what was perhaps going through is own mind as the pivotal battle of Ypres approached.
‘‘We are having a rest to get our nerves ready to get over the bags,’’ wrote Major. ‘‘Hope you will be strong enough to stand the strain, but even the bravest and the strongest must go under at times.’’
Major was killed within hours of writing what would be his last letter and was buried in Ypres.
A century to the day of his death on that far off battlefield, his grandson and former Hamilton Mayor Russ Rimmington read the letter at the unveiling of a plaque at Hamilton’s Ypres Memorial Garden in Memorial Park. The ceremony honoured the strong connection between Hamilton and Ypres during World War I.
‘‘That was 100 years ago today and that’s why Mayor Andrew kindly asked me to speak,’’ Remington explained.
‘‘To in a small way commemorate his death alongside the other men that were tragically killed in the Ypres area.’’
The plaque was unveiled by Hamilton Mayor Andrew King, Victoria Cross recipient Willie Apiata, Minister of Veterans’ Affairs David Bennett and project initiator Peter Bos.
The plaque features the musical notes from The Last Post with the words, ‘‘Honouring our sacrifice daily’’ and ‘‘We both gave so much’’.
The bugle call is a poignant reminder of the lament played every night at Menin Gate in Ypres - also known as Ieper - to honour British and Commonwealth soldiers killed during the conflict.
Hamilton City Councillors, Martin Gallagher, James Casson and Rob Pascoe were also in attendance, along with National MP Tim Macindoe.
Hamilton and Ypres have a memorandum of understanding, which was signed by former HCC Mayor Julie Hardaker, former councillor Peter Bos, and Luc Sehanene, the burgemeester (mayor) of Ypres in February 2013.
The installation of the plaques is the second stage of development at Hamilton’s Ypres Memorial Garden, which was built in 2014.
Reports of downtown Hamilton’s demise appear to have been greatly exaggerated. More money was spent there last year than at The Base. But wait - there’s more. More money was spent in the CBD than at Chartwell and The Base combined. And that’s because there’s expensive food and drink in the CBD, along with high-end shops and lots of retail choices.