The TANK MEMORIAL YPRES SALIENT & its accompanying 'Tank Corps Garden of Remembrance Belgium' is located in the small village of Poelkapelle, West Flanders, Belgium. It was funded & created by former Royal Tank Regiment 'Chieftain' Main Battle Tank gunner/driver Trooper Chris Lock BEM & his wife Milena Kolarikova BEM. Both received their State honours from HM Queen Elizabeth II & King Charles III for their combined achievements. The RTR recognised the importance of this Regimental Memorial by making a financial contribution towards the cost of its construction.

The memorial was inaugurated on 10th October 2009 by Major General Chris Deverell MBE, now General (Retd) Sir Chris Deverell KCB MBE ADC & blessed by the British Army Assistant Chaplain General in the presence of Officers, NCOs, soldiers & staff from the RTR & its Home Headquarters. Other military personnel from the British Army, Belgian Defence Force, veterans groups, members of the public, the British Ambassador & British Military Attaché to Belgium, the Mayor & aldermen from Langemark-Poelkapelle town council also attended.

The Flemish government offered the site for the construction of the Memorial whilst Langemark-Poelkapelle Authority religiously honour their commitment to maintain the fabric of the Memorial in perpetuity & to ensure it is illuminated during the hours of darkness.

In 2017 RTR HHQ invited the TMYS Standard which had been so thoughtfully & kindly gifted to the TMYS by the RTRA Nottingham Branch to attend & take part in the Cambrai100 commemorations in France. Such honour for the TMYS & its Standard bearer ex WO2 Wayne Evans formerly of the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards & Queen's Own Yeomanry. 

The TMYS also commissioned a Tank Corps Battle Flag. The colours brown, red & green represent those original colours of the Tank Corps Battle flag & that of the Royal Tank Regiment as of today. These three colours together represent 'from mud, through blood to the greens fields beyond'. The Tank Corps Battle Flag is carried by former Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers veteran Capt (Retd) David Williams TD. The Tank Corps Battle Flag is always paraded with the TMYS Standard unless circumstances prevent this happening.

In 2018 the shrubbery surrounding the TMYS was enhanced. A small quantity of soil was gifted to the TMYS by the 'Commonwealth War Graves Commission' having been recovered from the graves of Tank Corps fallen who rest within their Ypres Salient located cemeteries. Soil was also recovered from the Bovington Tank Training Area. This was achieved with the assistance of a Royal Engineers Armoured Earth Moving Vehicle & escorted by a Challenger II Main Battle Tank, Bovington being the original training ground where members of the Tank Corps received their training before being deployed to the Western Front battlefields & beyond. Finally, stone dust was recovered from the Isle of Portland stone quarry which supplied the UK's National Cenotaph, other memorials including the many thousands of CWGC headstones applicable to both world wars. Once collectively gathered, the soil & stone dust was mixed creating 'Sacred Soil' & placed within a genuine WW1 sand bag. This bag of 'Sacred Soil' was then mounted & transported on a Belgian Defence Force Armoured Personnel Carrier which included an armed escort party before completing a pilgrimage across the Ypres Salient tank action battlefields & attending a special 11.00hrs Last Post Ceremony at the famous Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres. This 'Sacred Soil' was then scattered within the memorial shrubbery thus creating the unique 'Tank Corps Garden of Remembrance-Belgium'.

The TMYS & its 'Tank Corps Garden of Remembrance-Belgium' is overseen & managed by the 'Friends of the TMYS' 'Board of Administrators'. The town hall administers maintenance whenever required. 

The 'Friends' President is Lieutenant General (Retd) David Leakey CMG CVO CBE.

The Vice President is Lieutenant (Retd) Ian Robertson - Great Nephew of Captain Clement Robertson VC, 1st VC of 4 to be awarded to the Tank Corps during WW1. 

The current Chairman is Lt Colonel Ian Clooney RTR who is ably assisted by his small band of loyal assistants on the ground. Together they represent the 'Friends' & 'Royal Tank Regiment' at the memorial during their enforced absences & oversee the memorial's many regimental commemorative ceremonies. 

The TMYS is brought to public awareness in the UK by the TMYS Mascot - Rescue Greyhound 002 Cpl Tilly who took over this important roll after the sad passing of former TMYS Mascot Rescue Greyhound 001 L/Cpl Pippa Long Legs. 

It is notable that during WW2, the extremely fast US M18 armoured car was renamed 'Greyhound' by Commonwealth forces. As their breed demands, they are silent, most trainable & human lovers. Greyhounds are also mentioned in the bible as being the choice hunting hound of Kings & recognised as the oldest breed of domesticated hound. Hence the noble greyhound really is a most worthy candidate for the roll of TMYS Mascot.

The Friends Secretary is Capt (Retd) David Williams TD.

The Friends Membership Secretary is Milena Kolarikova BEM.

The TMYS Mascot handler/owner is Chris Lock BEM.

Please note: reports, updates & images applicable to the Memorial's annual ceremonies are forwarded onto the 'Friends of the TMYS' membership on conclusion of events.

The 'Friends' wish to confirm the outstanding support offered by RTR HHQ, the Belgian Defence Force, Langemark-Poelkapelle town hall, 'Friends' membership, the Passchendaele Motor Cycle Club, the Royal Tank Regiment Association's Nottingham, Bournemouth Poole & District Branches plus many others has been outstanding. Their collective support has been magnificent!

Sempervirens (always flourishing)