Belgium Part Five: Talbot House, Poperinge Town death cells, and Boesinghe

Saturday afternoon, after visiting the trenches and the American memorial, we went to Poperinge. Poperinge was a town far enough from the trenches to be safe. Soldiers and Officers would go there to get away, drink, and sleep with the local prostitutes. However, two men didn't like the sinful things these men were doing, so they created the Talbot House, which was essentially an alternative place to relax. At night, they had entertainment, which we got to see, that included songs and cross dressing sometimes. It became a sanctuary of sorts for the men on leave.

However not far from the Talbot House was the death cells. There is no "good guy" in war. In World War I, the men who retreated during battle were shot for "cowardice". This was the British that did this. They would hoard the soldiers in a single tiny cell and one by one, they would move them into another cell with a guard to ensure they didn't commit suicide. The next day, they would tie them to a post (Picture 2) and a doctor would find the soldier's heart and pin a mark where it was on his shirt. Then, about 5 soldiers were forced to shoot and kill their comrade. There is even an account where a soldier almost had to shoot his brother, but they let him step out last minute. It was a disgusting practice.

In the third picture, our group was at Boesinghe, where the Canadian Army major John MacRae composed his world famous poem, "In Flanders Fields":

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.