THE SWANS OF YPRES

Hokitika Guardian, 26 July 1918, Page 1

THE SWANS OF YPRES

1 The Etang do Zillebeke, or Zillebeke Lake,..is a large- artificial reservoir, triangular in shape, about 1200 yards long and S(JO yards wide at its broadest. It is situated about Iflq yards south-east of Yprcs On the western side of tliu lake thoro is a dam built to 'contain the water in the basin. This embankment is 20 feet high and about 100 feet in thickness. A small outset connects the lake with Ypres moat. In June of 1915 the shelling of this area became very severe. Practically every battalion which bad tasted the fighting in the Ypres salient—and there are few who have not—knows the place well. But of all the strange things which those who know the terrible Ypres salient have, ever seen there, perhaps the most surprising is the small family of swans which live in the moat below the ramparts of the stricken city (writes a correspondent in an English paper). These ramparts have 1 only withstood the wear and tear of ages, but also the solid brick walls have turned an unbroken- face to the fiercest artillery which ever assailed a city. Pitted and scarred they may be, but they will never we moved and underneath the “protection” of the heavy walls live the swans of Ypres.

The birds have lived in the shrapnelswept moat since the beginning of the war, surviving the terrible bombardment of three long years. They are still to lx- seen gliding peacefully 011 the water as if they disdained the little war of the nations of men. All soldiers know the swans of Ypres and whey they started to build their nests last season many wore the bets as t-o tlie probable length of their stay there.

On one occasion a German shell fell within a short distance of the nest-, but the, bravo sitting bird, except that she fluttered a moment from the concussion, and took no notice of the devastation.

The triumph of the feathered parents came when during the fearful fighting of the third battle for the city, two cygnets were hatched.

The swans still remain in the old moat, and the spring of 1918 sees them, perhaps a trifle less agile, just a trace of feebleness showing in their yellow legs. It may bo that they are on rations, self-imposed. But at any rate they will never surrender their moat to all the force that Krupp can fling against the battered area and town of Ypres.