The Menin Gate Last Post — a private tour that ends in Ypres at 8 pm
The Menin Gate Last Post is sounded under the memorial in Ypres every evening at eight o’clock. It has been played there since 1928, interrupted only by the German occupation during the Second World War. For many visitors it is the moment they remember longest from a trip to Flanders.
The ceremony itself is free and open to everyone. What a private tour adds is the day that leads up to it: the ground, the cemeteries and the names that give those few minutes their meaning — and a vehicle waiting to take you back afterwards.
What the Menin Gate is
The Menin Gate is a memorial to the missing. Unveiled in 1927, it carries the names of more than 54,000 soldiers of the Commonwealth who died in the Ypres Salient and have no known grave. The road through it is the road British and Commonwealth troops took out of Ypres towards the front.
Those still missing after mid-August 1917 are named not here but on the memorial wall at Tyne Cot — one reason the Passchendaele tour and the Last Post fit so naturally into one day.
What happens at the Last Post ceremony
Just before eight, traffic through the gate is stopped. Buglers sound the Last Post, and on most evenings wreaths are laid and the Exhortation is read. Then a minute of silence, and the Reveille. The ceremony is short, but the crowd can be large — especially in summer and around 11 November — so it pays to arrive in good time. Knowing where to stand makes a real difference, and that is part of what I plan for you.
The ceremony is organised by the Last Post Association, which publishes the programme and the rules for taking part.
Laying a wreath at the Menin Gate
Laying a wreath during the Last Post is possible, but it is arranged through the Last Post Association and must be requested well in advance. Tell me when you book and it can be organised as part of your tour — guests have laid wreaths at the ceremony on tours I have arranged. For a family visit built around a particular name, see the page on battlefield tours for veterans and their families.
Building a day around the Last Post
Because the ceremony is in the evening, it is best as the end of a day in the Salient. A typical day runs Tyne Cot, Zonnebeke and Hill 60 in the afternoon, dinner in Ypres, then the Menin Gate at eight.
From Bruges, the Dunkirk and Flanders Fields day tour starts at 08:30 in Dunkirk and ends at the Last Post the same evening. From Brussels, Antwerp or the cruise terminal at Zeebrugge, the WW1 Flanders Fields tour can be timed the same way.
Getting back after the ceremony
Ypres empties quickly after the Last Post, and trains back to Brussels or Bruges are limited in the evening. On a private tour the vehicle is waiting, and you are driven back to your hotel, the station or the harbour. Transport is always included.
I have guided in Flanders since 2014, in English, Dutch, French and German. Pricing is explained under battlefield tour prices in Belgium. Call +32 497 645 645 or email peter@battlefields1.com.
Menin Gate Last Post — common questions
What time is the Last Post at the Menin Gate?
Every evening at 8 pm, all year round.
Do I need a ticket?
No. The ceremony is free and public. Only laying a wreath needs to be arranged in advance.
How early should I arrive?
In summer and around 11 November, well before eight. On a quiet winter evening, less is needed.
How long does the ceremony last?
Usually around a quarter of an hour, longer on evenings with many wreaths.
Can I find a name on the Menin Gate?
Yes. Search the CWGC records, which give the panel number, and it can be found on the evening of your visit.