Mayor of Ypres - Lt/Col Wickham?

[Guest Ian Bowbrick]

According to the War Diary of the 11th Bn Kings Liverpool Regt on 30 June 1915 the Battalion's commander Lt/Col Wickham was appointed Mayor of Ypres!

Was this common practice?

How did the indigenous population react?

Ian

[Jacky Platteeuw]

By june 1915 there were not much if any civilians left in Ypres at that time. Most went to France and UK as refugies.

Jacky

[CROONAERT]

Ian.

Is the word definately "Mayor" and not "Major" ? I've never heard of any British officer being appointed as a mayor in a warzone before, but there was always a "Town Major" , an army appointed title, usually a Lt/Col. or Col. This was the man who was in charge of practically everything in the town under his command (similar ,in a way to the RN "Beach masters" of WW2).

There's nothing in the Liverpool's history mentioning Wickham becoming Mayor anyway!!!

Dave.

(PS. didn't the actual Mayor of Ypres (I can't recall his name) still keep his office, but in exile, during 1915-1918?)

[Aurel Sercu]

I agree with Dave. No doubt he must have been Town Major (and not Mayor).

(In Feb-March 1919 it was Lieutenant-Colonel Beckles Willson who became Town Major of Ypres. Sorry, Can't find right now who had the job in June 1915.)

Aurel

[Guest Ian Bowbrick]

Aurel/Dave,

To be honest the handwriting is of a style where it could be either! However I bow to your knowledge on this.

Many thanks,

Ian