A new ring of 8 bells which have been cast at the world famous bell foundry of John Taylor & Co in Loughborough for St George’s Memorial Church in Ypres (Ieper), Belgium will arrive in Ieper on Wednesday 30th August.



They will leave Loughborough on Tuesday 22nd August on First World War Dennis and Thornycroft army lorries owned by John Arthur and John Marshall from North Yorkshire. Richard Cockcroft will also be assisting with the driving of the vehicles. Road transport will be provided by Stuart Ritchie of E & N Ritchie Hauliers, Co Durham. The bells and lorries will initially head the be part of the World War One commemorative display at the Great Dorset Steam Fair (from 24th to 28th August inclusive). The Great Dorset Steam Fair will be sponsoring the road transport costs from Loughborough, Leicestershire, to the Great Dorset Steam Fair and then onto Ieper. The bells and the lorries can be seen as follows:

Wednesday 30th August 2017
The Bells will be in Belgium and will travel from the Tyne Cot Cemetery to the Menin Gate on the Dennis & Thornycroft lorries to be present at the Last Post Ceremony at 8.00pm that evening. The confirmed route and timings are:

• 2.30pm-4.30pm Tyne Cot Cemetery Parking area
• 5.10pm-5.35pm Hooge Crater Cemetery
• 5.50pm-6.25pm Perth Cemetery (China Wall)
• 6.40pm-7.15pm Railway Dugouts Burial Ground (Transport Farm)
• 7.30pm Arrive at Menin Gate
• 8.00pm Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate
• 8.30pm Depart Menin Gate

Thursday 31st August 2017

The Bells will travel to St George’s Memorial Church on the Dennis & Thornycroft lorries via Ypres Reservoir Cemetery and the Grote Markt, before arriving at the Church, timings are shown below:

• 09.45am–10.10am Ypres Reservoir Cemetery
• 10.20am–10.50am The Grote Markt (in front of the Tourist Information Office)
• 11.00am Arrive at St George’s Memorial Church

At 5.00pm a special service will be held in St George’s Memorial Church where the bells will be dedicated on the floor of the Church.

The fine tower of St George’s Memorial Church was built to contain change ringing bells, bells controlled by rope and wheel that turn through 360 degrees when they are rung and will be the first of their kind in Belgium. The inscriptions on the bells follow the same pattern of individual or group commemoration found in the church. Each bell has a Poppy motif cast around the shoulder. The bells will be hung in the tower during September and then other work in the tower will be completed ready for the final dedication service which will be held on: Sunday 22nd October 2017

The bells will be dedicated in the tower at a special service which will start at 11.00am. The service will be conducted by The Right Reverend Dr Robert Innes, Bishop in Europe.

For further information please e-mail info@bells4stgeorge.org