Last Post
The Last Post is a tune, usually played on a Bugle, used at military funerals and ceremonies commemorating those who have fallen in war.
The Last Post was originally a bugle call used in British Army camps to signal the end of the day. The name derives from the practice of inspecting all the sentry posts around such a camp at the end of the day, and playing a bugle call at each of them. The "last post" was thus the last point of this inspection, and the bugle call signalling that this post had been inspected marked the end of the military day. This custom dates from at least the 17th century, and originated with British troops stationed in the Netherlands, where it drew on an older Dutch custom, called 'Taptoe'. The Taptoe was also used to signal the end of the day, but has more prozaic undertone. Taptoe originated signaling the moment the beer barrels had to be shut, hence the day had ended. 'Taptoe' and 'Last Post' sound so much alike (because of similar origination, both in date, function and location), that in many Dutch localities the 'Taptoe' signal blown on the Dutch Remembrance Day (May 4th) is mistakenly called 'Last Post'.
The "Last Post" was used by British forces in North America in colonial times and playing it has been a custom of the United States Army since the 18th century. During the 19th century it was also carried to the various countries of the British Empire. In all these countries it has been incorporated into military funerals, where it is played as a final farewell, symbolising the fact that the duty of the dead soldier is over and that they can rest in peace.
The Last Post is used in public ceremonials commemorating the war dead, particularly on Remembrance Day in Britain and the countries of the Commonwealth (known as Veterans Day in the United States). In Australia and New Zealand it is also played on ANZAC Day.
Since 1927 the Last Post has been played every evening by buglers of the local fire brigade at the war memorial at Ieper (Ypres) in Belgium known as the Menin Gate, commemorating the Belgian and Allied dead at the Battle of Ypres during the First World War.
External link
- The Official Last Post website (an MP3 recording of the Last Post can be heard at this website)