Photo credit: Eric Compernolle

We seem to be living in particularly uncertain and troubled times, with various violent conflicts going on around the world, either civil wars as in the conflict in Sudan or else state-on-state wars. Of course, in every conflict it seems that innocent civilians are the main victims. In military-speak, they are regarded as ‘collateral damage’ (a very cold and heartless term) and some states do not seem to care how many civilians are injured or killed so long as they achieve their target kill. It must be said that there have been conflicts going on all the time since the Second World War in some part of the world; it’s just that we haven’t always heard about them in the news and media. But it’s an unsettling time right now, made worse by erratic and unpredictable leadership of the United States, which has brought into question the old certainties of US military help and support.

At St George’s Church we have had some very big centenary services recently. The first one was to commemorate the centenary of the death of Field Marshall Sir John French organised by the New Ypres League, a revival of the old Ypres League who were instrumental in raising the money to build St George’s. Sir John’s great-granddaughter and her children were with us for this commemoration, together with other members of the French family. Sir John looks down upon you as you enter or leave St George’s from his big memorial on the south wall opposite the door!

The second big service was to celebrate the centenary of the Ypres Branch of the Royal British Legion, a very special occasion to mark an important milestone which also included dedicating the new RBL Ypres Branch standard. The service was followed by a wonderful garden party in the church garden, followed by a parade to the Menin Gate and attendance at the Last Post Ceremony.

On 7th July the Menin Gate will be officially reopened at a ceremony after the extensive restoration works, although it has actually been reopened for some time now. And in a couple of years’ time we will commemorate the centenary of the opening of the Menin Gate, together with the centenary of the laying of the foundation stone of St George’s on 24th July 1927. This will be a very big event, and will bring together many of the remembrance and commemoration organisations in Ieper. We have very good relations with them, and I look forward to working with them for this celebration and in many other ways.

St George’s is a memorial church, and the number of memorials and commemorative plaques in the church help visitors not just to remember those who died, but to ask the questions, ‘What did they sacrifice their lives for?’, ’Was it worth it?’ and 'Have we learnt any of the lessons of the First World War?’ These are difficult questions to which there are no easy answers. What is certain is that many people come to Ieper to remember and give thanks for the sacrifice of those who gave their lives in that conflict, and for some of them their visit is a pilgrimage to the place of their ancestor’s grave or to see the name of their ancestor written on the Menin Gate or on the memorial at Tyne Cot Cemetery. This can be an emotional, poignant and very special moment for people.

We are still either rededicating graves in cemeteries where an unknown soldier has finally been identified, or else burying remains that have been discovered and in some cases identified. I am invited to all these services by the JCCC (part of the MOD in the UK), and often take part in them although they are usually led by the Regimental Padre.

St George’s is for some of our visitors a really important place of pilgrimage, some of whom come to see our regimental plaques (and other military memorials), school plaques, and plaques or other memorials to individuals. For me, it is essential for us to provide a place of welcome, peace and prayer to enable people to remember those who died in the First World War and do some reflection in our troubled world. And I hope that people, whether they are regular worshippers, people coming to concerts or our many visitors, meet God in this sacred space.

The Reverend Richard Clement

Chaplain, St George’s Memorial Church