WW1 Related Events in the United Kingdom

Daily Act of Remembrance: Last Post & Reveille

Daily (except Christmas Day) at 11.00 hours

Millenium Chapel, National Memorial Arboretum, Croxall Road, Alrewas, Staffordshire DE13 7AR

Admission Free

(There is a parking charge at the National Memorial Arboretum for cars maximum £3.00 per day - all parking fees go directly to the NMA charity.)

The Millenium Chapel of Peace and Forgiveness is the only place where a daily Act of Remembrance takes place in England. The National Memorial Arboretum is located in the centre of England at Alrewas, near Lichfield, Staffordshire and is the place “Where our Nation Remembers”.

For further details see the National Memorial Arboretum website at:

Website: www.thenma.org Chapel

Annual National Act of Remembrance: Remembrance Sunday

Sunday 9 November 2014, 11.00 hours

The Cenotaph, Parliament Street, Whitehall, London SW1

Free

Public event with restricted access to the central area of the ceremony.

On the closest Sunday to 11^th November an official annual Service of Remembrance takes place at the Cenotaph in central London. Wreaths are laid by Her Majesty The Queen, members of the Royal Family, senior military leaders, politicians and representatives of the Commonwealth. Following the formal ceremony and wreath-laying The Royal British Legion co-ordinates a march past The Cenotaph which includes members of ex-Service organizations and civilian organizations which have played their part on the Home Front in wartime.

Services of Remembrance also take place at 11am on Remembrance Sunday around the United Kingdom at churches, war memorials and at The National Memorial Arboretum.

Flanders Fields 1914-2014 Memorial Garden: Opening Ceremony

Sunday 9 November 2014

Guards Museum, Wellington Barracks, Birdcage Walk, London SW1E 6HQ

A ceremony will be held at the Memorial Garden to mark the opening of this specially commissioned garden.

For more information about the Memorial Garden see the website:

Website: www.memorial2014.duo.be Memorial Garden

Annual Act of Remembrance: 11^th November

Tuesday 11 November 2014, 11.00 hours

Cenotaph, Parliament Street, Whitehall, London SW1

Organiser: The Western Front Association (WFA)

Free, public event.

The Western Front Association (WFA) holds an annual Ceremony of Remembrance at the Cenotaph, Whitehall on 11^th November. Members of the public are warmly welcomed to view the ceremony.

Members of The Western Front Association may apply for tickets also to attend a Service of Remembrance and a lunch after the ceremony.

To see details for the 11^th November 2013 Ceremony see The Western Front Association website:

Website: www.westernfrontassociation.com

WFA logo by kind permission of the WFA

Candlelit Remembrance Supper at Durham School

Monday 4 August 2014 at 19.30 for 20.00 hours

Durham School, Quarryheads Lane, Durham DH1 4SZ

Tickets £35.00. All proceeds to the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal.

The Durham Framwellgate Moor Branch of the Royal British Legion is arranging a candlelit supper to be held at Durham School. Guest Speaker to be announced. The evening will end with a short Service of Remembrance and extinguishing of candles at 11pm.

For further details telephone 07885 814 672

A Great Estate at War — Land, Sea and Air

15 February – 21 April 2014

Stables Courtyard, Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire OX20 1PP

To celebrate the centenary year Blenheim Palace will open with a fascinating and interactive WWI exhibition exploring the stories behind the family members and workers on the Blenheim Estate. The exhibition will be held in the recently renovated Gallery Room in the Stables Courtyard.

Step back to a time fraught with conflict and hear stories of bravery and comradery from the front line, and how morale was kept high in times of darkness. Read interesting accounts of the ‘flying cousins’, relations of the Marlborough family who bravely served in the Royal Flying Corps at all corners of the globe and deep behind enemy lines. See photos of the cousins, including scale models of the aircraft they would have flown, and the clothing they would have worn to keep them warm whilst flying, including an original flying jacket which once belonged to one of the cousins, Oscar Guest, who bravely flew on many reconnaissance missions over no-man’s land and behind the German lines. A brilliant addition to this part of the exhibition will be an original prop propeller from a Sopwith Camel.

Having served its purpose throughout the war years as a field hospital, the Long Library will be set up to recreate how it would have looked, with props and equipment that would have been used to aid the recovery of soldiers who were sent to Blenheim Palace throughout the war years.

With so many members of the Marlborough family involved in the war effort, including the current Duke’s father and grandfather who both fought on the front line, there will be a detailed family tree showing what area of the forces they consigned to and how they were all related. Learn of Winston Churchill’s early endeavours in the field of battle and read stories about how the ladies of Blenheim contributed to the war effort with sheer determination, and the impact the war had on not only the estate but also the surrounding communities.

The stories of the war across land, sea and air will be brought to life with a fascinating display of original props, scale models, life size replica trench, costumed characters, merchandise, video, and an incredible display of original paintings. It will bring to light a time in which many amazing people did outstanding and courageous things, and will provide an incredible insight which everyone will enjoy and learn from. For opening times, visitor information and more see the website.

Telephone: 01993 810 530; 24 hour: 0800 849 6500

Website: www.blenheimpalace.com

The Accrington Pals

Tuesday 18 - Saturday 22 March 2014, 19.30 evenings & Saturday matinée at 15.00 hours

The Bridewell Theatre, Fleet Street, London EC4Y 8EQ

Tickets: £10.00-£14.00 (Box office 020 7353 1700)

By Peter Whelan and directed by Lesley Strachan. The play centres on the fate of a small community whose young men volunteered to join the British Army in the early months of the First World War. Forming the 11th (Service) Battalion (Accrington) East Lancashire Regiment, the Battalion became known as one of the Pals Battalions, most specifically the Accrington Pals. The Accrington Pals suffered very heavy casualties on the first day of the Battle of the Somme on 1 July 1916.

AMY HARRISON - playing Eva

Amy’s ancestors hail from South Yorkshire, and her great grandfather joined the army in 1914. Piecing together family stories and what service records we have, we think he lied about his age and signed up in the recruiting drive in Barnsley in 1914 when he was only 17.

He became part of the York and Lancaster regiment and went off for training in 1914. In 1916, a few months before the Somme, when they needed soldiers to transfer to the Royal Marines, he volunteered. This decision probably saved his life. The attack on the Somme was led by the 11th East Lancashires, and supported by the 13th and 14th York and Lancasters — the regiment Amy's great grandfather would have been in had he stayed with the army. He would have been fighting alongside our boys on that fateful day.

Records show that he was gassed in the trenches in November 1916 and repatriated home to England, where they did not expect him to survive, so he quickly married Amy's great grandmother on the day before Christmas Eve 1916. He in fact recovered, went back to the front, was awarded two medals, and lived to the age of 82.

For further information and for booking tickets online visit the website links here:

Website: www.towertheatre.org.uk Accrington Pals

Website: www.towertheatre.org.uk/boxo.htm Online Box Office

Birdsong

Touring production from 12 February to 5 July 2014

Theatre Venues: Eastbourne, Cheltenham, Tunbridge Wells, Salisbury, Durham, Birmingham, York, Worthing, Mold, Bury St. Edmunds, Winchester, Exeter, Cork (Ireland), Hull, Doncaster, Colchester, Dundee, Leicester, Belfast, Swindon

Website: www.birdsongthetour.com

Tickets: Links for online tickets can be made via www.birdsongthetour.com website or the appropriate theatre in person. Suitable for ages 12+

The Original Theatre Company & Birdsong Productions present an adaptation of the best-selling novel “Birdsong” by Sebastian Faulks. This touring stage version is directed by Alastair Whatley, with stage adaptation by Rachel Wagstaff. Following a highly successful tour in 2013, the production marks the centenary of the start of the First World War.

In 1910, before the outbreak of the First World War a young man, Stephen Wraysford, spends time in Amiens, northern France, working at the textile factory of René Azaire. Stephen has a passionate affair with Isabelle, the young wife of Monsieur Azaire. They run away from Amiens and Isabelle discovers she is pregnant. She leaves Stephen without telling him. A few years later Stephen is serving on the Western Front as a Lieutenant in the British Army. The mud, tunnels and trenches of the Somme and the Ypres Salient feature in his experiences of war and his relationships with the men under his command. Meeting with Isabelle again he discovers she has been badly scarred by a shell and also that she is in a relationship with a German soldier. Stephen finds comfort with Isabelle's sister, Jeanne. In 1918 Stephen is trapped underground in a tunnel collapse and is rescued by a German soldier.

The story of Stephen in love and war is brought to life by his granddaughter, Elizabeth, who has discovered his journals and embarks on her own journey of discovery, resesarching the 1914-1918 war, talking to Veterans, and finding out what happened to Isabelle and Stephen's baby.

Birdsong was ranked 13th in the 2003 BBC survey “The Big Read”, finding the nation’s favourite book. The novel was adapted for the stage by Rachel Wagstaff and opened at the Comedy Theatre, London (2010), and more recently was adapted for TV by Abi Morgan for a BBC 1 series (Jan 2012). Sebastian Faulks was appointed CBE in 2002 for services to literature.

Rachel Wagstaff comments:

“Birdsong is in an incredibly powerful novel, and through the story of Faulks's fictional characters, we can understand what it might have been like for individuals caught up in this most extraordinary period of world history. Given the approaching centenary and the passing away of Harry Patch, the last surviving British Army Veteran to have fought in the Great War, it seems more important than ever that the courage and sacrifices of those who fought and fell for future generations are not only remembered, but understood. Lest we forget; lest we let suffering on such a scale ever happen again.”

Recognising the relevance this story has with the on-going impact of the conflict of war on everyday life the tour is proud to be supporting the charity “Help for Heroes”.

For information about the cast, learning resources produced to accompany the production, and information related to the show go to the website at:

Website: www.birdsongthetour.com

Oh What a Lovely War

Tuesday 1 - Saturday 5 July 2014

Nottingham Arts Theatre, George Street, Nottingham NG1 3BE

Tickets: £14 adult, £12 concessions (group & school rates available)

The People's Theatre Company Nottingham presents a production of this well-known satirical musical, first performed in March 1963 under the direction of Joan Littlewood.

A page-to-stage of the show and the Trenches will be presented on the Wednesday prior to the matinee performance.

For full more details about the production, performance times and to book tickets visit the website:

Website: www.nottingham-theatre.co.uk Oh What a Lovely War

SHELLSHOCK

Tuesday 8 April to Saturday 19 April 2014

The Waterloo East Theatre, Brad Street, London SE1 8TG

Tickets: Box Office 020 7928 0060 or Book Online www.waterlooeast.co.uk (no booking fee)

SHELLSHOCK is a dramatic new British musical. It is by turns exciting, tragic, poignant and funny. A soldier returns from war traumatised by his experiences. His wife and daughter struggle to come to terms with his despair, his silence and his mood-swings. As an escape his little girl remembers how he used to be, the Perfect Dad, big and strong, hilarious and wild. It is very much about her, about growing up and seeing the world in all its complexity. But another story intertwines with this one with deep echoes of World War 1 and a secret that a woman has lived with for most of her life.

With a powerful storyline and fourteen original songs SHELLSHOCK is a challenging, intriguing and ultimately uplifting story. It was inspired by a conversation between the writer, Tim Thomas and his grandmother when he was just a small boy. Like all of her generation his Granny had endured The Great War and he was transfixed by the tale of hope that she told.

Email: www.shellshockmusicals.com Contact

Website: www.shellshockmusicals.com

mp3 soundfile of original song: “What Did I Do Wrong?”

War Horse

Performances extended to 25 October 2014

New London Theatre, Drury Lane, London

Website warhorseonstage.com

Tickets from £15.00

The award-winning smash hit War Horse is now playing at the New London Theatre. Based on a story by Michael Morpurgo.

The First World War is the backdrop for this tale of bravery, loyalty, and the extraordinary bond between a young recruit and his horse. Actors, working with astonishing life-sized puppets by the internationally renowned Handspring Puppet Company, take audiences on an unforgettable journey through history.

At the outbreak of World War One, Joey, young Albert's beloved horse, is sold to the cavalry and shipped to France.

He's soon caught up in enemy fire, and fate takes him on an extraordinary odyssey, serving on both sides before finding himself alone in no man's land.

But Albert cannot forget Joey and, still not old enough to enlist, he embarks on a treacherous mission to the trenches to find him and bring him home.

The book on which the play is based came about after Michael Morpurgo had a chance conversation in his local pub nearly 30 years ago with an old soldier who had been to the First World War as a 17 year old ‘with ‘orses’ as he said. He discovered that over a million horses died in that dreadful war – and that was just on the British side – and that most of them that survived were sold off after the war was over, to butchers in France.

For ticket prices, availability, information about the show and shop go to the website at:

Website: warhorseonstage.com

Photographer: Simon Annand

Remembering and Writing Women’s Wartime Lives

Saturday 15th March 2014

National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas, Staffordshire

Conference Fee £15, £10:00 for concessions to include lunch.

This conference is organised by The Midlands Region of the Women’s History Network, The National Memorial Arboretum and The University of Worcester. Coffee and registration from 10:15 in morning, conference will finish at 15:45.

Women have written about war at the time and in retrospect; they have been journalists, kept diaries and written committee minutes. For some writing was an escape from the restrictions and limitations of their everyday lives. Others wrote letters to their family or friends from whom they were separated and it became part of their war effort boosting the morale of the armed forces.

This conference on Remembering and Writing Women’s Wartime Lives will explore all aspects of women’s writing and include papers on:

• Novelists and Women in WW1
• Remembering and Writing on Life with War Time Rationing
• Odette Sansom GC – The construction of a post war heroine
• Whose journal is it? Challenges in bringing family war diaries to light by Professor Rhiannon Evans

Enquiries and booking to Dr Janis Lomas via j.lomas96@btinternet.com

The Armies in 1914

Sunday 16 March 2014, 09.30 - 17.30 hours

National Army Museum, Royal Hospital Road, London SW3 4HT (Telephone - switchboard: 020 7730 0717)

Admission: Tickets are not required.

A one day academic conference. The subject of the conference is the state of preparedness of the armies of Europe on the eve of the First World War.

To find out more about the programme and speakers as they are announced, go to the National Army Museum website page:

Website: www.nam.ac.uk What's On Armies 1914

Fifth Great War Forum Conference

Saturday 29 March 2014, 10.30 - 17.30 hours

Tally Ho Conference & Banqueting Centre, Pershore Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B5 7RN

Price: £28.00 per person

Speakers:

• Charles Messenger: How the British Army mobilised for war in 1914;
• Matthias Strohn: Gibraltar on the Western Front: Ernst Jünger and the 73rd Fusilier Regiment in the Great War;
• Bill MacCormick: Pending Corpses - The Failure of the VIII Corps at Beaumont Hamel and Serre, 1st July 1916;
• Christina Holstein: Why There, Why Then? The Battle of Verdun 1916;
• Tony Pollard: Heard No Further Of Him - The Search for WWI Mass Graves at Fromelles.

The cost will be £28 per person, covering the conference, lunch and tea and coffee. Dinner (at 7.00) will be £24. For information and to book please contact Alan Curragh.

Email: gwfconference@hotmail.co.uk

Gallipoli Conference

Saturday 21 June 2014, 10.00 to 17.30 hours

Lords Knights Suite, Tally Ho Conference & Banqueting Centre, Pershore Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B5 7RN

Registration fee: £29 (includes buffet lunch and refreshments). Booking is advised.

Focusing on Gallipoli, this is the third Gallipoli conference organized by The Gallipoli Association. It is open to all. Members of the Gallipoli Association and non-members are all very welcome to attend. The day will feature a programme of guest speakers and historians. There will be displays, organisation stands, author book signings, books for sale and merchandise. The day will provide a great opportunity to meet fellow members, guests and those wishing to share their interest in the campaign.

For the latest information, guest speakers and to download the registration form go to the website or email an enquiry:

Website: www.gallipoli-association.org conference 2014

Email: conference@gallipoli-association.org

First World War in Retrospect

28 July - 1 August 2014

Weetwood Hall Conference Centre & Hotel, Otley Road, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS16 5PS

Speakers:

Professor Gary Sheffield MA PhD FRHistS FRSA; Dr John Bourne; Professor Edward M. Spiers; Professor Dominic Tweddle; Dr Spencer Jones; Professor Peter Simkins MBE; Major Roger Chapman MBE, MA; Professor Mark Derez; Matthew Richardson; Alan Sixsmith; Chris Baker; Clive Harris; Lieutenant Colonel John Whitchurch; Philip Magrath; Major Paul Skelton-Stroud BVSc PhD MVSc MPhil FSB FRCVS; Nick Forder; Prof Alison Fell; Dr Catriona Pennell FRHistS; Captain Julian Spilsbury.

The conference has been planned by Conference Director Dr Peter Liddle and Military Consultant Colonel Alan Roberts.

For details of the conference programme, biographies of the speakers and organizers, booking information, accommodation, packages and any other queries see the website:

Email: For details contact peter.chubb@weetwood.co.uk

Website: www.weetwood.co.uk First World War

Telephone: Peter Chubb on 0113 388 5707

Reflections on the Great War of 1914-1918

Wednesday 12 November 2014, 13.00 - 17.00 hours

Northern College, Wentworth Castle, Stainborough, Barnsley S75 3ET

Admission: £10 per ticket, includes light refreshments

A conference to commemorate one hundred years since the start of the First World War by Northern College in partnership with The Western Front Association. Speakers will be:

• Ritchie Wood: Miners Underground on the Western Front (with a focus on Welsh and Yorkshire miners)
• Liza Sentance: Canadian First Nation in World War One (focus on the native Indians)
• Rob Thomson: Logistics on the Western Front (how the army was organised)

Contact Janet Drury for tickets and information on telephone number 01226 776000.

Website: www.northern.ac.uk Conferences: General Information

Email (conferences): business@northern.ac.uk

March - November 2014 (see weekend courses below for dates)

University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education, University of Cambridge, Madingley Hall, Madingley, Cambridge CB23 8AQ

The University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education (ICE) offers short and part-time courses to adult learners of all ages. To mark the centenary of the First World War, ICE is offering a number of weekend courses looking at different aspects of the conflict in 2014. All courses take place at Madingley Hall, a 16th century country house three miles west of Cambridge, and accommodation is available in the Hall’s en suite accommodation.

• Archaeology of the Great War – 14 to 16 March.The First World War of 1914–18 devastated whole regions of Europe, mobilised entire industrial nations and displaced populations, as well as killing and injuring millions. The war has left significant material traces from extensive trench systems to individual, personal artefacts and the bodies of the fallen. In recent years, modern archaeological theory, techniques and forensic application have been brought to bear on the conflict that defined a century. This course will explore the archaeology of the ‘Great War’ through case studies, discussion and artefact handling to develop an understanding of how archaeology is expanding study of the conflict. Visit: www.ice.cam.ac.uk/GreatWarArchaeology
• Strange meetings: words, music and the First World War – 27–29 June. The First World War destroyed old orders and redrew the maps of Europe, not just in political terms, but through the works of artists caught up the cataclysm. This course examines some of the extraordinary cultural encounters brought about by wartime. Conflicts and reconciliations of nationality, class, ideology and aesthetic will be explored through the prism of that most mysterious ‘meeting’ – the fusion of words and music. Visit: www.ice.cam.ac.uk/meetings
• Theirs not to reason why: horsing the British Army through two wars, 1875–1925 – 14–16 November. We will look at British Army 'horse service' during the Anglo-Boer and 1914–18 wars. The course will focus particularly on military procurement in relation to the domestic horse breeding industry, foreign supply in times of war, debate about mechanisation versus the horse, and development of an integrated military transport system. We will explore some of the myths and reality surrounding this subject and address questions like: where did horses come from, what types, in what numbers, and how were they cared for? Visit: www.ice.cam.ac.uk/warhorses
• War in the shadows: a comparative study of T E Lawrence and Michael Collins – 21–23 November. This course offers a comparative analysis of guerrilla warfare in Ireland and the Middle East during the First World War. It examines the intelligence and military careers of two very different historical figures that, for very different reasons, would become household names in Great Britain. Visit: www.ice.cam.ac.uk/shadows

Courses are taught by Cambridge University academics and meals are included in the fee. For more information about any of the following courses either follow the link to the course page or contact:

Email: enquiries@ice.cam.ac.uk

Telephone: 01223 746262

Theme: Controversies and Reassessments

Saturday 26 April 2014, 10.00 - 17.15 hours

Lecture Theatre MC001, MC Building, University of Wolverhampton

£20.00 payable in advance

We are delighted to announce the third First World War Study Day to be held by the University of Wolverhampton First World War Research Group. The theme is ‘Controversies and Reassessments’. Confirmed speakers are:

• Dr Catriona Pennell (University of Exeter) on Responses to the Outbreak of War: The Myth of the “Spirit of 1914”
• John Spencer (University of Wolverhampton) on Sir William Robertson as Sir John French’s Chief of Staff; a reassessment
• Dr Scott Lindgren (University of Hull) on Everybody has a Plan: The Human Element and Controversy in the Naval War 1914-1918
• Dr Nick Lloyd (King’s College London) on The Hundred Days Reassessed.

To see the programme for the day and the joining instructions download the pdf here:

• 26th April Programme (122KB)
• Study Day Joining Instructions (104KB)

The Study Day fee is £20.00 payable by cheque in advance made payable to the University of Wolverhampton. Please mark the envelope Study Day and send to:

Professor Gary Sheffield, University of Wolverhampton School of History, Politics & War Studies, MC Building, Wulfruna St., Wolverhampton WV1 1LY

Please note that free tea & coffee will be available for early arrivals from 9am onwards and that copies of Nick Lloyd's latest book Hundred Days will be available for purchase, Helion & Company will also be present.

If you would like to reserve a place or have any other enquiries about the Study Day contact Dr Phylomena Badsey, Study Day Administrator.

Email: P.Badsey@wlv.ac.uk

WW1 Edwardian Fete & Picnic

Sunday 3 August 2014, 10.00 - 17.00 hours

The Staffordshire Regiment Museum, Whittington Barracks, Whittington, Lichfield, Staffordshire WS14 9PY

Admission: See www.staffordshireregimentmuseum.com for details.

The Museum is pulling out all of the stops to create an Edwardian extravaganza to commemorate the outbreak of WW1. Come along to our Edwardian Tea tent where you will be served authentic cakes and lunches by ladies dressed in period costume. Read one of our original newspapers and listen to the musicians who will fill the tea tent with evocative music. There will be lots of opportunity to shop with an impressive and extensive collection of stalls selling vintage items, fashions, crafts, gifts, jewellery, books, toys, cakes, homewares, bric-a-brac and much more. Fancy a pasty and a pint? Our period beer tent is the place to be, and with live music and drama, period fairground rides and stalls, lots of WWI themed entertainment and re-enactions and our brilliant museum collections and WW1 trench system, this is truly the place to be. Stay all day and you’ll still not have seen everything! We’ll all be in period uniform and costume, and we’d be delighted if you’d join in too! Fancy an Edwardian makeover? Let our talented stylists give you that ‘Belle Epoch’ look.

Telephone: 01543 434 394

Email: curator@staffordshireregimentmuseum.com

Website: staffordshireregimentmuseum.com

WW1 Weekend

Saturday 20 & Sunday 21 September 2014, 10.00 - 16.00 hours

The Staffordshire Regiment Museum, Whittington Barracks, Whittington, Lichfield, Staffordshire WS14 9PY

Admission: See www.staffordshireregimentmuseum.com for details.

Commemorating the role of the South and North Staffordshire Regiment Battalions during the 1st Battle of Ypres. Uniformed re-enactors will re-create the experience of trench life in our fantastic WW1 trench system, and describe what life was like for soldiers during the Great War. This 500ft trench system contains ‘scrape’ holes, dugout, gun positions and even a tunnel, used during the period to undermine the enemy trenches that were often just a short way away. Ammunition boxes are strewn around, sandbags line the walls, original signage points the way as the visitor is immersed in a professionally created soundscape that takes you straight to the trenches of WWI France. We also re-create ‘back areas’ or the activities that were going on behind the trenches including dressing stations and mess tents, and you’ll get the chance to chat to British and German soldiers alike, try on uniforms and handle weapons and equipment. A fascinating insight into the Great War.

Telephone: 01543 434 394

Email: curator@staffordshireregimentmuseum.com

Website: staffordshireregimentmuseum.com

Night in the Trenches

Saturday 8 November 2014. Tours start from 16.30 hours.

The Staffordshire Regiment Museum, Whittington Barracks, Whittington, Lichfield, Staffordshire WS14 9PY

Admission: Pre-booking essential. See www.staffordshireregimentmuseum.com for details.

One of the most popular events in the Museum’s calendar is ‘Night in the Trenches’ which will be taking place this year in the remarkable new trench system. This is an opportunity to experience a soldier’s life in the trenches in WWI. Uniformed re-enactors take you back to evoke the life lived and conditions experienced by our troops during the Great War. Guided tours take place from 16.30 – 19.45 hours and pre booking is essential. Good wheelchair access. Please ring 24 hours in advance for event confirmation.

Please see the website for further details.

Telephone: 01543 434 394

Email: curator@staffordshireregimentmuseum.com

Website: staffordshireregimentmuseum.com

Carols in the Trenches

Saturday 13 December 2014. 19.30 - 20.30 hours.

The Staffordshire Regiment Museum, Whittington Barracks, Whittington, Lichfield, Staffordshire WS14 9PY

Admission: Pre-booking essential. See www.staffordshireregimentmuseum.com for details.

Carols in the Trenches is an evocative re-enactment of the 1914 Christmas Truce. Come along to the Staffordshire Regiment Museum for an evening of Carols set in the Museum’s WWI trench system, concluded by a re-enactment of the Christmas Truce where British soldiers emerged from the trench to shake hands with their German counterparts who were dug in just yards away. A thoughtful, festive and uplifting evening.

Please see the website for further details.

Telephone: 01543 434 394

Email: curator@staffordshireregimentmuseum.com

Website: staffordshireregimentmuseum.com

WW1 Discovery Days

21 April, 5 May, 26 May, 4, 11 18 & 25 August, 27 October 2014. Tours start at 11.00, 12.00 & 13.00 hours.

The Staffordshire Regiment Museum, Whittington Barracks, Whittington, Lichfield, Staffordshire WS14 9PY

Admission: See www.staffordshireregimentmuseum.com for details.

The Staffordshire Regiment Museum is organizing a series of exciting tours at the museum during 2014 for parents and children on Mondays in the school half term and summer holidays and Bank Holiday Mondays.

Uniformed guides will take you on a detailed tour of the Museum’s fantastic WW1 trench system, and describe what life was like for soldiers during the Great War. A 500ft trench system contains ‘scrape’ holes, dugout, gun positions and even a tunnel, used during the period to undermine the enemy trenches that were often just a short way away.

Ammunition boxes are strewn around, sandbags line the walls, original signage points the way as the visitor is immersed in a professionally created soundscape that takes you straight to the trenches of WWI France.

Parents and children will also get the chance to try on uniforms, as well as handle weapons and equipment from the time, plus explore the museum and its fascinating collections.

Telephone: 01543 434 394

Email: curator@staffordshireregimentmuseum.com

Website: staffordshireregimentmuseum.com

Tracks to the Trenches

12, 13 & 14 September 2014

Apedale Valley Light Railway, near Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire

A major event organized by the Moseley Railway Trust to commemorate the centenary of the start of the First World War and the major role played by the railway in the logistics and transportation of men, animals and machines in the war.

For full details about the forthcoming event, visiting locomotives and how to find the Apedale Light Railway visit the website for “Tracks to the Trenches”:

Website: www.ww1-event.org

The National Archives, Kew, Surrey

Free and paid lectures, events and tours to see behind the scenes at the archives and find out more on how to research family history using the archive collections. For more information and a calendar of events go to the National Archives' website at

Website: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk Events

The National Army Museum, London

The museum offers a programme of lunchtime lectures, conferences and study days. Led by experts, the programme aims to increase an understanding of history, the arts, science, and the world we live in today - through the exploration of military history. The programme is aimed at ages 16 and above. Some events are related to school and college programmes of study. Booking is advised. For more information go to the National Army Museum's website at:

Website: www.nam.ac.uk What's On

The Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset

The Tank Museum provides lectures as part of its events programme. For further information go to The Tank Museum Diary of Events at:

Website: www.tankmuseum.org Events Diary

The Western Front Association (W.F.A.)

Lectures, seminars and conferences are held at regular monthly Branch meetings and at a national level around the United Kingdom and internationally. Speakers include well-known military historians and WFA members with expertise in a wide variety of topics related to the First World War. For further information and a calendar of forthcoming events visit the WFA website at:

Website: www.westernfrontassociation.com National Events & Conferences

University of Birmingham Centre for First World War Studies

The Centre for First World War Studies is part of the School of History and Cultures at Birmingham University. The Centre holds regular events including seminars, lectures and conferences. For information on the events programme visit the Centre for First World War Studies' website at:

Website: www.warstudies.bham.ac.uk Events

Centenary Events Co-ordination

The Imperial War Museum has set up a website to co-ordinate a listing of the international events and resources which will be marking 100 years since the outbreak of The Great War. The website includes podcasts, latest news and projects.

Website: www.1914.org

Culture24

An excellent website full of cultural news, listings and events for a wide range of subjects. A section of the website is dedicated to the First World War and includes lots of up to date information about all sorts of events and exhibitions for the 2014 -2018 centenary of the First World War.

See the website for more information:

Website: www.culture24.org.uk First World War