Ypres - French Ieper - Flemish Ypern - German Wipers - Tommy on 14/4/07 5:42 PM, John Drewell at johndrewell@telus.net wrote: > could YPERN be the Flemish spelling of YPRES? > > John Drewell in Vancouver BC > ==================== > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Delilah" <diamond6468@mindspring.com> > To: <greatwar@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Saturday, April 14, 2007 7:15 AM > Subject: Re: [GREATWAR] WW1 Signboard > > >> don't know if I can be of any help, but would like a photo fo the sign - >> end >> to my e-mail - I got some old books on WW1, I can check them but can I >> have >> a photo of it, just for me to have >> delilah >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Earl Chapman" <earl.chapman@sympatico.ca> >> To: "Great War MailList" <Greatwar-L@rootsweb.com> >> Sent: Saturday, April 14, 2007 9:37 AM >> Subject: [GREATWAR] WW1 Signboard >> >> >> | We have a WW1 trench sign on display in the Officers' Mess of the Black >> Watch of Canada in Montreal. It consists of two boards mounted to a post. >> The top board is rectangular with the engraved name "PASSCHENDAELE", while >> the lower board is shaped like an arrow with the engraved name "YPERN 12.5 >> Km". It would therefore appear that the sign was located at or near >> Passchendaele with the lower arm pointing in the general direction of >> Ypres. >> It was always thought that the sign was taken as a war souvenir from >> either >> a British or Canadian trench following the Battle of Passchendaele (3rd >> Ypres), but the use of the term "YPERN" is strange. As far as I can tell, >> "Ypern" is the term (exonym) used by the Germans for "Ypres". This would >> suggest that the sign was originally erected by the Germans. Also, the >> use >> of kilometers also suggests German origin, as British, Canadian or >> Australian troops would have miles. >> | >> | I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who might be able to shed some light >> on >> this sign. >> | >> | Regards, >> | Earl Chapman >> | Montreal, Canada >> | >> | ------------------------------- >> | To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> GREATWAR-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >> quotes >> in the subject and the body of the message >> | >> >> >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> GREATWAR-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >> quotes in the subject and the body of the message >> > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > GREATWAR-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message