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B RADLEY U LRICH October 2022 • Page 37© 2022 International Trumpet Guild October 2022 / ITG Journal 37 W orld War I, or the “Great War,” lasted from August until November , , and at the time was the most horrific and costly war on record. At least million soldiers died from among the to million fighting for countries. The British Common- wealth alone fielded nearly million soldiers, and of those, nearly 1 million died, including nearly , who died on the battlefields around Ypres, Belgium. Menin Gate Memorial At the end of the war, the vast number of soldiers missing in the Ypres Salient had to be accounted for, and plans to com- memorate them began in . The Menin Gate entrance to the town of Ypres was chosen for the memorial because hun- dreds of thousands of British troops passed through this east- facing gate on their way to bat- tle in the salient. In , Sir Reginald Blomfield’s memorial design was underway, and on July , , Field Marshal Lord Plumer officially inaugurated the Menin Gate. Etched in the walls of the Menin Gate Memorial are nearly , names commemorating the Commonwealth soldiers who were lost on the battlefield and who had no known grave prior to August , . After this date, nearly , names of addi- tional unknown or lost soldiers were carved on the walls at Tyne Cot Cemetery in Zonnebeke. In , local officials and citizens searched for a way to express their feelings of gratitude and sorrow for the deaths of the British soldiers. Police Superintendent Pierre Vanden- braambussche and others suggested playing the British Last Post bugle call every day because it had made a lasting impres- sion on the local population at the inauguration of the Menin Gate a year earlier. This group of people had originally intend- ed to have it played every day during the “pilgrimage” season, the summer months lasting until September each year. During these months, thousands of families would visit the war graves and memorials commemorating their loved ones. It was at this time that the Last Post Association was formed as a voluntary non-profit organization consisting of residents from Ypres (Ieper), Belgium. This asso- ciation founded the Last Post Ceremony in and has been responsible, to this day, for every aspect of the daily ceremony. The Last Post call The Last Post call (see Example 1) originated in the British army and was originally published in a collection of twelve British bugle calls in . At that time, a bugler would accompany the commanding officer on an inspection of the sentry posts surrounding the camp. Last Post was played as a signal that the last sentry post inspection T HE B UGLERS OF M ENIN G ATE B Y P. B RADLEY U LRICH FA2 Example 1. Last Post bugle call Following page: Evening photo of Menin Gate, site of Last Post Ceremony, Ypres, Belgium. Used by permission of the Last Post Association “Hundreds of thousands of British troops passed through this east-facing gate on their way to battle in the salient.”had occurred, and the camp was safe for the night. This call would last approximately seconds. It began to be used in memorial services in Commonwealth countries in the mid- nineteenth century. When played in a memorial setting, the bugler or group of buglers typically take more time on the longer notes and rests, and the call is played in a more solemn, expressive manner, typically lasting approximately seconds. The beginning of the Last Post Ceremony While the structures of Ypres were being gradually rebuilt after the war, the social and cultural life of Ypres was slow to return. This posed the question of where the buglers would come from to commit to this daily ceremony. The only organ- ization that had “real” buglers in its ranks was the local fire brigade, which sounded bugles as fire alarms. Because of the fire brigade’s discipline, the committee thought they would be better suited for the serious nature of a daily ceremony. The Last Post Association committee agreed that the fire brigade buglers would be trained for this purpose, and the tradition of using buglers from the fire brigade began and continues to this day. Bugles had to be found for the players, and they would have to be instructed on how to play the instruments and also learn the British Last Post call. Musical instruction was given by Richard “Dick” Collick, a former British naval officer who returned to Ypres after the war to work for the Imperial War Graves Commission. Collick had occasionally performed Last Post at solemn ceremonies during the s, as relatives of the dead and missing came to Ypres in large numbers. At : p.m. on July , , the inaugural Last Post Cere- mony occurred, and the first buglers played the Belgian Te Velde call, instead of the British Last Post. They also played the Belgian Retraite, the equivalent of the British Reveille. A local newspaper, Het Ypersche, mentioned on July , , that the buglers would soon be playing the British calls once they were mastered. The high point of the annual pilgrimage season occurred on August , , with the Great British Legion Pilgrimage. On this occasion, the Prince of Wales (later to become King Edward VIII) was in attendance, along with , veterans and their families. Equally touching to the local residents of Ypres was a pilgrimage of British dis- abled veterans, which took place in September of the same year. Because of the enormous success of visits such as these, plans were made to continue the ceremony year-round begin- ning May , . That tradition continued in Ypres until the German occupa- tion in World War II (which began May , ). During that time, the playing of Last Post was forbidden by the Ger- mans at the Menin Gate; however, it continued in England at the Brookwood Military Cemetery in Surrey. The Last Post Ceremony returned to Ypres when it was liberated from the Germans on September , . Since May , , the cere- mony and playing of Last Post has taken place every night for , consecutive nights. Even during the recent covid- epidemic, the ceremony continued, with the buglers’ receiving special permission to continue to play each night, even though the public was not allowed to attend. The Last Post ceremony of today The Last Post Ceremony continues to be attended by people from around the world as the buglers lead the attendees in honoring a moment of silence for the fallen. The ceremony begins at Menin Gate promptly at : p.m. every evening after the local police have stopped traffic moving through the site. The buglers of the past wore street clothes and blazers, but © 2022 International Trumpet Guild October 2022 / ITG Journal 39 “Since May 1, 1929, the cere- mony and playing of Last Post has taken place every night for 32,332 consecutive nights.” Early photos of the first buglers to perform the Last Post Ceremony, c. 1928. Used with permission of the Last Post Association40 ITG Journal / October 2022 © 2022 International Trumpet Guild today they wear the dress uniform of the local fire brigade and white gloves. During the winter months, they add the uni- form’s long winter coat. The buglers gather casually on the bridge leading to the memorial as the crowd gathers. When the time nears, they line up to march to their playing positions under the center of the entrance to the memorial. Soft spoken commands are given by one of the buglers as they march to position and turn in unison. The slow march begins with the left foot forward, the left arm back. The bugles are held in the player’s right hand near the bell of the instrument, and when at attention or marching, the bell rests on the right thigh. On command, they raise the bugles in front of them with the bell down, parallel to the player’s body, and then to the mouth. They begin by playing the short call Garde à vous (French for “Attention”), which silences the crowd (see Example ). Once they have silence, they play Last Post and then return their instruments out front and then down to the leg. Following a moment of silence after Last Post, the “exhortation” begins, in Example 2. Garde à vous bugle call Example 3. The “Long” Reveille bugle call Example 4. The Rouse bugle call© 2022 International Trumpet Guild October 2022 / ITG Journal 41 which a single person recites the fourth stanza of Laurence Binyon’s poem, “For the Fallen:” They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them. Those attending the ceremony respond by repeating, “We will remember them.” On occasion, if a bagpiper is present, this recitation is followed by “The Lament,” for which the most popular piece per- formed is the Scottish folk melody “The Flowers of the Forest.” After the haunting notes of the bagpipe fade, the next portion of the cere- mony, the “laying of the wreaths,” begins. Here, relatives or friends of the fallen step forward to place wreaths of poppies on a memorial for the dead. When this touching event concludes, the buglers perform a Reveille or Rouse. The buglers have three calls from which they choose for this portion of the ceremony. They call them the “Long” Reveille (see Example ), the Rouse (see Example ), which is mostly known by people from the Commonwealth, and the “Charlie” Reveille (see Example ). These calls have gained nearly religious significance through the years because, while they were originally intended to “wake” the troops in the morning, they now sig- nify, to some, the waking of the dead to eternal life. Following this call, the buglers turn and march from their position, concluding the cere- mony, and the crowd disperses. The buglers of today There are currently six buglers in the company—Rik Vandekerckhove (chief bugler), Raf Decombel, Christophe Wils, Jan Callemein, Tonny Desodt, and Filip Deramoudt. Buglers who enter into this volunteer service typ- ically serve for long periods of time. Since , there have “These calls have gained nearly religious significance through the years because, while they were originally intended to ‘wake’ the troops in the morning, they now signify, to some, the waking of the dead to eternal life.” Example 5. The “Charlie” Reveille bugle call (L – R): Rik Vandekerckhove (chief bugler and full-time firefighter), Christophe Wils, Raf Decombel, Filip Deramoudt, Tonny Desodt, and Jan Callemein42 ITG Journal / October 2022 © 2022 International Trumpet Guild been only twenty buglers who have performed this service, the newest member being Filip Deramoudt, who began in . Eugene Angellis – Henri Lacante – Cyriel Demeulenaere – Jozef Arfeuille – Albert Catteeuw – Maurice Baratto – Daniel Demey – Antoine Verschoot – Jan Roose – Albert Verkouter – Martial Verschoot – Rik Vandekerckhove – Michel Ghesquiere – Dirk Vandekerckhove – Tonny Desodt – Raf Decombel – Filip Top – Jan Callemein – Christophe Wils – Filip Deramoudt – The longest-serving bugler was Antoine Verschoot, who played for years and passed away in at the age of . In , Rik Vandekerchove celebrated his th anniversary of service, and Tonny Desodt celebrated his th. Buglers of the Last Post Association must, to this day, be members of the Ypres fire brigade (five are volunteer and one is full time). The firefighters may volunteer with the Last Post Association if they have school music experience or if they are willing to learn to play. Once they are trained and fluent on the bugle, they can begin participation in the ceremony. Most of them do not read music. The six buglers perform in groups of three, alternating weeks. On special occasions, all six will perform together. Spe- cial occasions, to name a few, include Remembrance Day (Armistice Day), November ; anzac Day (Australian New Zealand Army Corps), April ; and the anniversary of the end of the battle of Passchendaele, November . On many special occasions, presidents, royalty, political leaders, religious leaders, veterans, and military leaders attend the ceremony at the Menin Gate, which has become the primary point of remem- brance for British soldiers who died in Belgium. Crowds at the Menin Gate vary in size from dozens to thousands, depending on the season and the occasion. Many special ceremonies also include military and civilian bands, choirs, and soloists. How- ever, only the buglers of the Last Post Association are allowed to perform Last Post at the Menin Gate Memorial. While in Ypres researching this article, I was asked by the buglers to per- form the Rouse at the ceremony. I was among very few civilians since to have been asked to play at the ceremony, and I consider it one of the greatest honors of my life. Because the groups of buglers play in alternating weeks, it is important for all of them to get together once every month in order to maintain a consistent style and presentation of the pieces. These rehearsals take place at the local fire brigade, typically at night, after a Last Post Ceremony. The group is instructed by Roland Neyrinck, a retired member of The Royal Band of the Belgian Guides, which includes a trumpet and bugle platoon of nineteen musicians. Roland Neyrinck teaches the buglers new calls by rote and solfege because they do not read music. After working on several new calls, the buglers rehearse all the music they need for the upcoming ceremonies. Instruments The buglers of the past performed on a variety of instru- ments, depending on what was available to them at the time. In , two silver bugles were given by Colonel W.M. Whitaker and the Royal Artillery Band to the Last Post Association. One of these bugles can be viewed in the “In Flan- ders Fields” museum located in the center of Ypres. Currently, the buglers perform on a matched set of silver B-flat bugles by McQueens of Manchester, England, which were given to the Last Post Association on June , , by the British Legion. Players choose their own mouthpieces, which have included Antoine Verschoot, Menin Gate’s longest-serving bugler, who played for 61 years and passed away in 2015 at age 91. Used with permission of the Last Post Association The author, P. Bradley Ulrich, performing the “Rouse” at Menin Gate on October 22, 2021© 2022 International Trumpet Guild October 2022 / ITG Journal 43 Schilke, Besson, Wick, Bach, and Kelly. Several prefer the acrylic Kelly mouthpieces because the acrylic rim is more com- fortable in the often cold, rainy weather at the time of per- formance. In , Pickett Brass and Blackburn Trumpets donated six trumpet mouthpieces (three .c and three c) with clear acrylic rims to the Last Post Association to help unify the sound of the group and help the volunteer buglers in the often-inclement weather. The level of commitment of the volunteers of the Last Post Association is truly remarkable. Every night, the bugle players, ceremonial assistants, board of directors, photographers, and many volunteers provide one of the most meaningful cere- monies of remembrance in Europe. The group of buglers remain extremely humble with regard to their very important service. It is extraordinary that these buglers hold full-time jobs, are volunteer firefighters, have families, and also hold steadfast in their commitment to continuing the traditions of the Last Post Ceremony. As busy as their lives are, they have a pro- found respect for the history and suffer- ing of the soldiers and continue to play the bugle calls honoring the hundreds of thousands of soldiers of the British Com- monwealth who died defending Belgium during the Great War. The local popula- tion is quick to recognize these extraordi- nary men, and because of their dedica- tion and performances at the Menin Gate, they have been asked to perform in Eng- land, Australia, New Zealand, and Cana- da for major WWI anniversary cere- monies. While some travel, others must remain behind to continue the incredible streak of nightly soundings of Last Post in Ypres, Belgium. In October , The International Trumpet Guild presented each bugler of the Last Post Association with a certificate, stating, “In Apprecia- tion for Your Dedication and Bugle Per- formances at the Menin Gate Ceremony Honoring the Memory of Soldiers Who Died in Ypres, Belgium in World War I.” I wish to express my gratitude to the Last Post Association, the buglers (espe- cially Tonny Desodt), and Jan Matsaert, photographer for the association. For more information, visit the Last Post Association website (https://lastpost.be). About the author: Dr. P. Bradley Ulrich has been the professor of trum- pet at Western Carolina University since . He maintains an active career as a soloist, orchestral player, and The silver bugle on the bottom is one of two bugles given on November 11, 1959, to the Last Post Association in honor of British and Allied artillerymen killed during WWI and WWII. In Flanders Fields Museum, Ypres, Belgium Close-up view of inscription on bell of the gift bugle “It is extraordinary that these buglers hold full- time jobs, are volunteer firefighters, have families, and also hold steadfast in their commitment to con- tinuing the traditions of the Last Post Ceremony.”44 ITG Journal / October 2022 © 2022 International Trumpet Guild brass quintet musician, in addition to teaching studio trum- pet lessons and masterclasses. Dr. Ulrich has performed and taught around the world and has also been active as a collab- orative musician, including bringing fifty American musi- cians to Russia over the last decade. While passionate about the trumpet, he is also passionate about World War I history and has visited the battlefields in France and Belgium four times. Last Post Association buglers receiving certificates from the International Trumpet Guild, honoring their dedication to performing at the Menin Gate Ceremony. (L – R): Jan Callemein, Tonny Desodt, Filip Deramoudt, P. Bradley Ulrich (ITG representative), Raf Decombel, Christophe Wils, and Rik VandekerckhoveNext >