Category Archives: remembrance

battlefields, commemoration, remembrance, schools, war memorials

Arras commemoration 2017

May 11, 2017 User deactivated Leave a comment

In April 2017 a large group of Scottish secondary school pupils and teachers travelled to France to commemorate the centenary of the Battle of Arras. This battle saw the biggest concentration of Scottish battalions and soldiers at any one battle during WW1, and the Scottish Government identified this as a key event to mark in the national WW1 commemorative programme.

The Scottish Commemoration Panel conceived the unique idea of having two participating pupils from every one of the 32 Scottish Local Authorities undertake a study visit to Arras, and with the support of local Councils achieved this truly national representation. Scottish Government contracted with Mercat Tours International to deliver this experience for the young people, and a very strong programme of activities was organised. The assistance of the Mayor of Arras enabled French pupils to join the commemorations.

The Scottish programme covered three intense days in France and Belgium, with guided visits to battlefield sites, cemeteries, memorials, and a museum in the underground tunnels beneath the city of Arras. A very moving service of commemoration was held at Faubourg d’Amiens cemetery in Arras, and Scottish military pipe bands performed a Beating the Retreat in the main square of the town that evening attended by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

The young people learned a great deal about the history of the period and the contribution of Scottish soldiers to the western front campaigns. Frequently there were very moving experiences. Some pupils were able to trace the graves of relatives who died around Arras and make a very personal remembrance at the graveside.

The visit was a great success, and a video which features key elements from the trip will be made available online.

battlefields, commemoration, military, remembrance

CWGC Internships in France and Belgium, summer 2017

January 17, 2017 User deactivated Leave a comment

cwgc The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is inviting applications for paid internships working at their sites in France and Belgium over the summer of 2017. These posts are for 18-25 year olds, and will last four months. The duties focus on welcoming visitors to the cemeteries and memorial sites managed by CWGC, providing a service which is informative and supportive, to help them gain full benefit from their visit.

It is an opportunity for young people leaving university or college with a strong interest in the history of World War One. They will gain a deeper understanding of the work of CWGC, and participants will develop valuable employability skills in working as part of a team and dealing with people.

Full details are available on the CWGC website, with applicants needing to meet a deadline of 27th January.

competitions, film and TV, remembrance, schools

Vote now ! – “Films of Remembrance” primary school competition

September 14, 2016 User deactivated Leave a comment

films-competition Legion Scotland invites you to vote for your choice as the winner in their 2016 competition for Primary school children in Scotland, which invited pupils to make a film about “the impact of conflict and the importance of remembrance”. Voting closes on Sunday 11th December, so don’t delay.. Vote here.

Full details can be found on their website, including the competition prizes and sources of support such as local veterans groups.

Pupil groups were asked to create a two-minute documentary, TV report or short film which explored the impact of conflict and remembrance on the people and communities of Scotland. This provided a lot of scope for exciting learning and the development of skills in Literacy, ICT, Social Studies and more.

commemoration, military, remembrance, war memorials

HMS Hampshire disaster, Orkney

June 6, 2016 User deactivated Leave a comment

On 5th June 1916 warship HMS Hampshire struck a German mine off the coast of Orkney and sank with the loss of 737 men. Only 12 sailors survived.

This weekend commemorative events were held at Marwick Head, close to the site on which the ship sank, to mark the centenary of the loss and the deaths of so many men. The Orcadian published a report.

The wreck made national news at the time partly because of the presence on board of Field Marshal Lord Kitchener, the Secretary of State for War, travelling to Russia on a diplomatic mission to meet with Britain’s Russian allies.

After the war a memorial was constructed on the headland overlooking the sea, but it focused solely on Kitchener and was named after him. To mark the centenary, and respond to the need to commemorate all the men who died in the sinking, the memorial has been refurbished and a new wall built around it with plaques naming all the victims.

A Scotsman article reports that a book to be published later this year will offer fresh information about the history of the HMS Hampshire disaster.

commemoration, military, remembrance, war memorials

Quintinshill rail disaster

June 3, 2015 User deactivated Leave a comment

Commemorative events have been held to mark the centenary of a 1915 rail crash at Quintinshill near Gretna, Dumfriesshire, Britain’s worst ever rail disaster. The collision of 3 trains killed more than 200 people, most of them soliders of a Leith-based 1/7 Battalion of the Royal Scots who were travelling down to Liverpool to catch a troopship to the fighting around Gallipoli. Our new World War One microsite provides details and links.

The commemorations took place in three locations connected to the crash: At Larbert, where the soldiers joined their train for the journey south; at Quintinshill near the crash site; and at Rosebank Cemetery in Leith, where so many of the dead troops were buried.

A BBC TV news story “Quintinshill: a terrible day for the regiment” provides further reporting. Coverage in national and local media included this story in the Sunday Post about the impact on one family in East Lothian.

In the Edinburgh Pilmeny area a local project to ‘Remember the Leith Battalion’ ran activities to include young people in the commemorations; these included poppy stencils on pavements on the route to the cemetery; a ‘Tree of Life’ display at the local Drill Hall, and a stained glass window.

A new theatre production, “Persevere“, was also staged by local drama groups. The play is based on local soldiers, their farewells, and the impact of the deaths and injuries in the community.

A service was also held at Carlisle Station, as some of the train crew came from the Carlisle area and many of the wounded were taken to hospital in the city.

BBC TV screened a documentary about the crash, “Britain’s deadliest rail disaster”, presented by historian Neil Oliver.

The BBC also published an iWonder online resource about the tragedy.

commemoration, remembrance, schools

Commemoration in Woodland

March 12, 2015 User deactivated Leave a comment

The commemorative period which started in 2014 has already seen examples of innovative thinking about how to mark the centenaries of World War One and the sacrifices made by the British population. The Woodland Trust has developed ambitious plans to establish thousands of acres of newly-planted woodland. There will be four Centenary Woods around the UK, one in each home nation, with the Scottish wood located at Dreghorn Woods in the Pentland hills just south of Edinburgh.

Individuals and organisations can remember family members and local servicemen by dedicating a tree in their name, and people can also volunteer to help with the planting. Local groups, such as the RAF Air Cadets, are also participating in the effort to plant and create the woodlands.

The Woodland Trust is also giving away free trees to schools, youth groups and communities, for planting in their own land to create a living memorial. Details of this part of the programme are available on the website.

commemoration, military, remembrance

WW1 drumhead service remembrance event

August 11, 2014 User deactivated Leave a comment

A national commemorative event was staged in Edinburgh yesterday to mark the start of the World War One centenaries. It took the form of a Drumhead Service, a form of religious service on a makeshift altar of piled drums draped with military flags. Following the multi-faith service on the Castle Esplanade, a procession of soldiers, veterans and members of the public marched down the Royal Mile to Holyrood Park where a field of replica Commonwealth War Graves had been erected. Participants had gathered to remember the sacrifice made by many thousands of Scots and the impacts of the war on Scottish society.

A Scottish Government news release titled “Scotland remembers” describes the event. BBC TV covered the event, and also included interviews with academic historians Sir Hew Strachan and Trevor Royle in its programmes. A BBC news story “Thousands attend WW1 Drumhead commemoration” reports on the occasion.