30,000th Last Post
On 9 July 2015 at 8 pm sharp the 30,000th Last Post was sounded under the Menin gate in Ypres. In honour of this unique occasion, GoneWest organised an 'Ode to the Ode', in collaboration with the Last Post Association and actor Wim Opbrouck.
The Last Post is a trumpet signal, used in the army. Originally it was sounded at the end of the day, during post inspection. Nowadays the Last Post is predominantly used at military ceremonies and funerals. Each day at 8 pm in Ypres it is played under the Menin gate by members of the Last Post Association, as a mark of respect to those who died in the First World War. This mark of honour has taken place every single day since 1928, except in the period during which Ypres was occupied in the Second World War. The tradition is for buglers to be recruited by the Last Post Association from the local fire brigade and to wear the fire brigade uniform.
For the 30,000th Last Post a direct broadcast of the event, called ‘Ode to the Ode’, was organised, in an attempt to unite as many people as possible around the globe in fire brigade barracks, to hold a 1 minute silence and experience the special Last Post together. “We wanted to organise a moment of worldwide solidarity for the fallen soldiers. To do this we came up with the idea of all listening to the Last Post together”, said the project manager, Wim Opbrouck. “The 30,000th Last Post will be an amazing feat with a live two-way connection over the entire world.” However, despite global visibility, the approach remains modest. Apparently “The Last Post shall remain the Last Post”.
Those attending the 30,000th Last Post in Ypres included Queen Mathilde and Flemish prime minister Geert Bourgeois.