Members of Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service are pictured marching in the remembrance parade through Ypres on 11 November.

How it all started

Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service has been visiting the Flemish town of Ypres in Belgium every year since 1990 along with friends and colleagues from Oxfordshire Fire & Rescue Service.

The fire service has a special connection with Ypres which dates back to 1928. Every day at 8pm buglers from the local fire service play The Last Post beneath the arches of The Menin Gate, a memorial erected in the decade following the end of World War One to remember the names of nearly 50,000 soldiers that have no known grave.

This astonishing act of dedication by the people of the town, the local fire brigade and members of The Last Post Association, the founders of this ceremony, is the basis for continuing our visits - to recognise this commitment and thank those involved. The trip also allows serving firefighters, support staff and retired members the opportunity to visit and take part in the act of remembrance on 11 November at 11am.

For more information about the trip and Ypres, click on the links below:

What we do when we're there

Menin Gate

Background information about Flanders

If you have any comments please email enquiries@bucksfire.gov.uk