Great War commemorations

[Great War truck]

Or as one person put it

“We have got four more b****y years of this yet”.

 

As we approach the end of 2014 I was wondering what peoples thoughts were on the Great War centenary events and will the general population all be sick to death of it by 2018 (perhaps much in the same way that everyone was sick to death of the war in 1918)? There have been numerous local and national events. Perhaps the most eye catching of all was the poppy’s at the Tower of London, but I do wonder if that might have been better saved for 2018. It certainly raised people’s awareness of the enormous British and Commonwealth troops loss of life. The dimming of the lights was a very poignant act of remembrance but I expect that most people will not have participated or know what it symbolised. With the Christmas Sainsburys add in the mix I wonder if we are about to reach saturation point. Will any interest in WW1 grind to a halt in December 2018?

 

In the run up to 2014 there has been a significant upturn of interest in WW1 vehicles with the restoration of several vehicles coming to their conclusion. Two AEC Y Types, an Albion A10, a Napier, the LGOC B type bus, Model T ambulance were all completed this year. The restoration of several others have commenced: Marks Napier, GMC Ambulance, Fiat, Halley, and another AEC Y Type. I am aware of several other vehicles having been recently acquired and we will see their restoration kicking off over the next few years: RAF Leyland at Hendon, Liberty B and Fiat 15 TER. I am sure there are several others which I have not mentioned and these are just in the UK. Other WW1 vehicle restorations are taking place in the USA, Canada, New Zealand and France. This is all great news for our hobby and I do hope the momentum will carry forwards well beyond 2018.

 

About a year ago it was said on the forum that there should be no hurry to organise WW1 vehicle events as there were five years to spread them over which is very true. In the last 12 Months we have attended with the Dennis and friends with their WW1 vehicles the London to Brighton, Shuttleworth collection and Duxford events which have all been very exciting. Probably a highlight of the year for those with an interest in WW1 vehicles was the Great Dorset steam fair which had many WW1 vehicles and the most impressive trench display I have ever seen. This was supposed to be all flattened at the end of the show but now they plan to keep it all in situ and will consider repeating the event. Another interesting feature was their heavy haulage convoy from Bovington to the show which attracted crowds of people to watch. One of the WW1 Mclaren traction engines which was at the show recently drove through the centre of London again causing much interest.

 

Tracks to the trenches was another well organised event which unfortunately clashed with another event for us but looked to be very interesting. Maybe if they do it again we might be able to attend?

 

So, what WW1 vehicle events have been planned for the next 4 years? I know the French are looking to run a convoy of 20 WW1 vehicles to Verdun and other battlefields over a week. Is anybody aware of any planned significant WW1 vehicle events here in the UK or have we now reached saturation point?

[Pzkpfw-e]

I've not really noticed much myself, but I'm not in London?

Other than the poppies at the Tower and coverage of the 100th Anniversary of the start of the conflict, I've not seen much.

Doubtless we'll hear a lot more coming up to the 1st July 2016, with 100th Anniversary mentions for Jutland & Cambrai, then the finale 11/11/2018.

[N.O.S.]

I totally support your view about saving the poppies until 2018. Hopefully there will be no fireworks……...

[Chris Suslowicz]

I totally support your view about saving the poppies until 2018. Hopefully there will be no fireworks……...

 

Just _one_ firework: Borrow the biggest WW1 howitzer that's still functional to fire a saluting charge then play the last post....

[Redherring]

Do you know I have wondered about this too. There was a recent and small ceremony in Queenscliff, Australia, where the first shot was fired, and there has been the odd Great-War book launch. Beyond that ANZAC troops were first deployed in Egypt and Gallipoli in 1915, and the Australian siege artillery brigade was the first Australian unit to become active on the front line in France, and that was in March 1916... so there is bound to be some community activity here in the future. There will surely be a big bash in November 2018.

[Tony B]

As this is the start, you have to get people's intrest for the next 3 years. I was part of the commerative events for the 90th Anniversary of the First Day of the Battle of the Somme, we jocked then now for the hundreth, and guess what? Though next year is also the 70th Anniversary if the end of WW 2, so a lot going on.

[defiant1uk]

Thanks for your comments about"Tracks to the Trenches".

 

Now that we have been able to recover from the 2014 event, thoughts have indeed turned to the next few years.

The Western Front Association assisted trench system is remaining in place throughout the centenary period - to be open on the main steam weekends through 2015. Remembrance weekend will also be marked - with military rail equipment from all periods being demonstrated.

 

"Tracks to the Trenches" will be repeated in a couple of variants:

2016 - Date is likely to be 3rd Weekend in May (20th-22nd) including the Friday. Generally similar to 2014, it will be marking the centary of several of the resident 1916 built steam locos - hopefully it will benefit from further permanent site developments.

 

2018 - Date TBC. This will be a BIG one to mark the end of the Centenary period in a fitting manner.

Any feedback about dates, event content, contacts, interesting stuff, etc, etc are always welcomed!

Edited December 9, 2014 by defiant1uk

[nz2]

In New Zealand the events have started with the politicians in rounds of apperances in commemeration of events. Lots of speeches etc.

The declaration of war was read again from the steps of Parliment, with those in period costume. The first troops to leave these shores was undertaken as a recreated train trip transporting the troops to the wharves.

The New Zealand forces occupied German Samoa in Sept 1914, so a commeration there was held for this.

 

I too, have a concern that the events overall could well go flat and lose public interest. Some of the news coverage and reporting lacks appeal, aside from being inaccurate. At times I feel like walking away from the events overall. Then I think of my grandfather and reading his diary of life in the trenches. He was not one for commerating those times and spoke very little of the events. Simply put " not nice times".

 

On our own restoration, the Leyland will turn 100 in 2016, so it is planned to use that date for its completion, finished in RFC colours.

Doug

[N.O.S.]

My initial thought was that we should not be putting so much energy into commemorating the START of something so horrific - rather we should save our energy for the celebration of its ending.

 

But I guess there is a subtle distinction between commemorating and celebrating.

 

The important thing is that whatever we do we should never FORGET. To that end whatever has already been done, and whatever is done over the next 4 years must surely be a good thing - it has certainly raised awareness already, and that must be a good thing.

[BosunAl]

Understand your feels, but there certainly are specific events worthy of recognition.

 

Bosun Al

[Richard Farrant]

It seems odd that the number of WW1 events during the next 4 years is questioned when no one thinks of all the WW2 commemorative events such as Dunkirk, Battle of Britain, D-Day, Ardennes, Arnhem, VE Day and VJ Day (just to name the main ones) are repeated on the 5 year anniversaries.