During the first weekend of July 2028, volunteers will read out all the names of British and Commonwealth soldiers that went missing in action that feature on the Menin Gate in Ieper (West Flanders). There are almost 55,000 names on the monument and reading them all out will take three days. This special commemorative weekend marks the 100th anniversary of the first Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate.
On 2 July 2028, it will be exactly 100 years since the Last Post was sounded for the first time at the Menin Gate. Since then, it has been sounded every evening at 8 p.m. by volunteer buglers from the Last Post Association. It was only interrupted during the second German occupation of Belgium from 1940 to 1944, when the ceremony was continued at Brookwood Military Cemetery in Surrey, England.
‘100 years of the Last Post falls on a Sunday. We are making it a special commemorative weekend,’ says Benoit Mottrie (pictured), chair of the Last Post Association. ‘On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, we are organising numerous activities, events and ceremonies. Everyone will be welcome at this centenary celebration: the Association's members from around the world, various dignitaries, but above all the people of Ieper themselves.’
Sunday, 2 July 2028, will, of course, be entirely devoted to the official centenary ceremony. We want to make this a participatory event. Our plan is to read out all 55,000 names of the missing soldiers continuously from Friday morning onwards, including during the nights of Friday and Saturday. This tribute will end on Sunday afternoon, just before the start of the centenary ceremony."
Appeal
‘We believe it is important to give everyone the opportunity to read out a name. To this end, we will be calling on the residents of Ieper, schools, people from abroad and relatives of those whose names are on the Gate.’
The reading will not be interrupted, so the names will also be read out even at night. Everything will be strictly timed. ‘People from all over the world will be able to follow the entire process via live streaming. The West Flemish tourism agency Westtoer and the city of Ieper are also taking part in the preparations. This will be something special.’