The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-11
Arn,istice Day, 1918

HUNS nad been taKen. hamlgnies, 1cW MI kilometers east, had fallen to the ad- vancing Canadians the day before. It was 10 o'clock in the morning. Troops were moving through on their way to take the lead in the big push that was under way. Parallel roads covered with marching col umns. Then-suddenly, unexpectedly came the order to .stand to-" Something mysterious about this order. Officers stood talking excitedly in little groups along the road. Several staff automobiles flashed by on their way to corps headquarters.
 The halt was long. It became longer. The boys had figured to be in the thick of hard fighting before this Something had stopped the movement of that splendid ngnt- ing machine, the Canadian corps.
 Despatch Riders News
 Just outside the little town of Ramignies group of Canadian soldiers watched high powered motorcycle come tearing down the road from the direction where till a short time ago had come the rattle of sharp and continuous firing. The big guns had been silent since 10 o'clock The despatch rider, noticing ''the troops" just slowed up enough to shout: 'It's all over, fellows" and sped on His words dispelled all doubt as to the rumors that had been rife for an hour or so.
 Two soldiers detached themselves from the party and went to the old church of Ramig- nies. The walls of the edifice still stood, but the roof had been damaged and was partly gone.
 Walking up to the altar, the figure of the old cure, bent in prayer, was noticed. Only his lips moved as he gazed upward to the broken windows through which a pale sun light made it's way.
 He was one of the clerics who had taken the advice of Cardinal Mercier and had stayed with his flock to support them in the time of enemy occupation.
 Bearing Good Tidings. 4
 As the soldiers approached, one tapped him on the shoulder and told him: La guerre est fini." The old man turned. He had an empty sleeve and on his breast a medal. He had fought for France in 1870, as he told the soldiers later, and had put on the old medal immediately after the withdrawal of the enemy the previous day.
 La guerre est flni." He repeated the words as in dream. Then came torrent of tears, and, supported by the two soldiers from far-away, the cure climbed the winding stairway to the church tower.
 "A Canadian will announce to the villages and towns of Belgium that they are liberated and that the Bosche has gone," he said.
 A few creaks as the old man gripped the rope. Then the first peal of the bells of peace when the two soldiers heaved with all their might.
 The WuOl0 uldrheC SQudHo uCAo" AhAeu "ASh people. The old cure looked down and mo- tioned with his hands to his parishioners to come close up for it is considered an extreme ly happy omen to take part in ceremony of ringing the bells of peace in France and Belgium.
 The Peals Of The Bells.
 And then came the answer-first only faintly when the nearest village caught the glad tidings, later powerful and with full tones the bells everywhere pealing, far farther than we could hear, for in that hour all the bells of Belgium and France, as far as the Spanish border, had taken up the ringing
 The Canadians went down with the cure. Others had taken over the task in the belfry. And just when the old men and women and little children - the only civilians -h had gathered in a great happy throng, there sounded a wild cry, a wonderful shout of victory, never before heard in this town. Dashing along came a squadron of Canadian cavalry, whooping it up in true cowboy style. Through their tears the people smiled and laughed. The old cure stood looking on. La Belgique enfin fibre, ct voila nos liberateurs (Belgium free at last and here are our libe- rators)," he said.
 Copyright. 1924.)