Every night at 8 pm at the Menin Gate memorial in the town of Ypres, Belgium, a group of volunteer buglers, from the local fireservice (thanks Rose Thorn), play the last post in memory of all the Australian and allied soldiers who fell in battle during World War I. The ceremony has been held every night since 11th November 1929 except for a break during World War II.
Nearly 13,000 Australian troops gave their lives between 1914 and 1918 in the battlefields around Ypres with almost half of them having no known grave. Out of a population of 5 million Australians, over 330,000 men enlisted and fought in the Great War. This represented over 13 percent of the male population.
In order to play the last post for every single name listed on the Menin Gate memorial (some 54,000 soldiers) the buglers will have to play every night until the year 2400. One man has played every night for 46 years.
As recognition of his unerring dedication Guy Gruwez, chairman of the last post committee, was awarded the Order of Australia medal. He is the first non-Australian to have been awarded the honour. The immense sense of duty to pay homage to fallen Allied soldiers makes Guy Grewez and the volunteer buglers Top Aussies