Category Archives: libraries

battlefields, commemoration, libraries, military, schools

Scotland and the Battle of Loos

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remembering loos

On 25th and 26th September 2015 the City of Dundee staged a series of commemorative events to mark the centenary of the Battle of Loos. In 1915 the whole nation suffered, as thirty thousand Scots from different regiments were involved in this battle in northern France, and the heavy loss of life and huge number of injuries caused widespread distress. Dundee men were present particularly in the battalions of the Black Watch.

“Remembering Loos”, the national commemoration in Dundee, included the lighting of the beacon at the war memorial on Dundee Law, a service of remembrance, a parade, and music performances. The events were organised by Dundee City Council and the Great War Dundee partnership, with support from the Scottish Government through the national Scottish Commemorations Panel.

School pupils in the city worked on a project to remember Loos by researching and creating information panels, which were exhibited to an invited VIP audience and to the public. Dundee City Council education staff and students worked with Education Scotland and partners such as the Black Watch Museum and Dundee University Archives service to achieve a great deal of new learning.

The BBC News story “The Battle of Loos: how Dundee marks its ‘black day'” describes some of the commemorative activity and the historical background to it. The Dundee Courier story “Battle of Loos remembered 100 years on” includes a video clip from the events.

Another BBC News article, “The piper who won the Victoria Cross“, tells the story of Piper Daniel Laidlaw of the Kings Own Scottish Borderers and his bravery under fire. Laidlaw’s playing of the pipes rallied troops to join the assault, after a German gas attack temporarily stalled the advance.

A news story in Glasgow’s Evening Times, “Remembering the Govan men who died at Loos, a century ago” reports on a local man who has researched the Govan High School men listed on the school’s Roll of Honour. Eight died at Loos.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission website has a section dedicated to the cemeteries around Loos.

 

libraries, museums and archives

Newspaper coverage of war subjects

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historic1

Newspaper reports of events during World War One and in the years afterwards form a valuable asset for educators. Newspaper circulation was much higher in the 1910s than now, with more titles serving a population hungry for news of the progress of the war and the lives of their loved ones. National and local titles provided a high level of coverage of military campaigns and stories from the home front. Eyewitness testimony and the reports of journalists were complemented by photographs and graphic illustrations.

The Historic Newspapers archive is offering teachers a free teaching pack which contains selected stories and extracts about key events in the period 1914-1919, as reported in the press at the time. Titled “First World War: Teaching Resource“, it makes use of material from national newspapers of the time (The Daily Sketch and The Star) to show how particular events were reported – including the autumn offensive of 1915, the execution of nurse Edith Cavell, the Gallipoli campaign withdrawal, and the declaration of an Armistice. This material could be used to examine particular incidents or to consider a bigger theme such as the changing nature of conflict. The website provides details of how to obtain a copy.

The public library and archives services of Local Authorities often hold collections of newspapers which were published in their area, sometimes in hard copy, sometimes in digital form. Local newspapers may provide a level of detail about individuals and events on the home front in the local community which are not covered by the big national titles. For teachers it is worth contacting the services in your own area to find out what contemporary resources of this kind they may own and make accessible.

A good example of educational use of archive material, including newspaper extracts, is the Hard Vrocht Grun project in Aberdeenshire. The packs of themed material put together by project staff include many newspaper stories about themes such as recruitment and conscription, commemoration, and poverty.

When considering wartime newspapers as sources of information, teachers should consider the issue and extent of censorship of the content of the stories, in addition to the usual issues such as bias and accuracy.

 

arts and music, exhibitions, libraries, museums and archives

World War One exhibitions

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Many Scottish museums, archives and libraries are already staging exhibitions that relate to the Scottish experience of World War One. National and local collections hold an extraordinary range of photos, documents, and artworks which relate to aspects of the war. Here’s a selection of some of the powerful and informative shows that are on offer to the public now, and which would enhance the learning of young people studying the history of the war.

Glasgow City’s People Palace museum has an exhibition of the work of Fred Farrell,  Glasgow’s own official war artist who was commissioned by the City Council to record images from the Western Front. His sketches and drawings are well presented with background material to give extra context.

At the National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh is an exhibition called ‘Behind the Lines’ which uses personal stories and documents to illuminate key aspects of the war through individual lives. The richness of the exhibition’s assets and presentation provides a powerful introduction to the subject.

At the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh the ‘Common Cause’ exhibition tells the story of the experiences of combatants of Scots ancestry who came back to fight for Britain in the campaigns in France, Belgium, Turkey and elsewhere. The Scottish diaspora responded strongly to the declaration of war, and soldiers and regiments from South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland, Canada and the Indian subcontinent made a big contribution to the war effort.

arts and music, exhibitions, libraries, museums and archives

Exhibitions

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Many Scottish organisations at national and local level are planning to run exhibitions as part of their commemoration activity. These exhibitions and associated events such as public lectures will focus on particular aspects of World War One and increase public understanding of the conflict and its impacts. Such exhibitions will form very useful assets for learning about WW1, and some will be accompanied by new educational activities and workshops designed to enhance the learning of pupils and/or adults. Details of forthcoming exhibitions are now becoming public, as organisers announce their programmes for the years ahead. We will use this blog to publicise exhibitions and encourage teachers and students to engage with the material on offer. Now, two examples:

At the Scottish National Portrait Gallery an exhibition titled ‘Remembering the Great War’ will display paintings, photographs, sculpture and media relating to Scots who played some kind of role in the War in service or at home. These individuals will include Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, Elsie Inglis, James Maxton, and Harry Lauder. The work of Scottish artists will also form a key part of the assets on show.

The National Museums of Scotland have published their programme for the First World War Centenary, with two major shows opening this year. At the National War Museum in Edinburgh Castle, the ‘Next of Kin’ exhibition will focus on family life and personal loss. The National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh will feature an exhibition titled ‘Common Cause: Commonwealth Scots and the Great War’, which will explore the contribution made by the Scottish diaspora and the impacts in Commonwealth nations such as Canada and Australia.