I am extremely passionate about the philosophical and emotional power of visiting battlefields, it’s something I come back to time and time again. Whether this be the impact of battlefield pilgrimages on Veterans, or people gathering up the thread of their family history, following it to the foot of the grave of a relative whom … Continue reading ‘With the tears a Land hath shed, their graves should ever be green’
I came across this poem in 'The Horse and the War' by Capt. Sidney Galtrey. It's one of the most powerful verses on the plight of the war horse that I've come across so far. 'We combed you out from happy silences, On thymey downs;From stream-veined meadowlands alight with crownsOf buttercups, where, for you, shapely … Continue reading War-Horses by G.M. Jeudwine
‘Spiritual laws are also automatic’ is the epitaph of Edward Hastings Owen, 1st Battalion, The Buffs. A young man of 19 who was killed in the fighting around Ypres in May 1918, most likely as a result of gas. I have mentioned Private Owen before because his epitaph, out of the many 1000's I have … Continue reading ‘Spiritual laws are also automatic’
The image above is frequently circulated on social media, usually accompanied with a caption such as '1916 - soldiers pay tribute to the horses who died in the Great War' which, whilst a lovely idea, is a bit of duff history I'm afraid. I'm fed up of seeing it do the rounds, so thought I'd … Continue reading Hold your horses and check your sources
This week saw the launch of the CWGC Gardening Then & Now campaign, highlighting the horticultural history of the CWGC and some of the remarkable personal stories of their gardeners, both past and present. The CWGC has become synonymous with beautiful floral displays and impeccably maintained lawns and though each of their 2,500 or so … Continue reading The Flower Power of the CWGC
Following on from my blog earlier in the week discussing why it is that myths continue to feature so prominently in the general public's understanding of the Great War, I wanted to add a few more thoughts: 4. The dead overshadow the living I may appear pretty cold and analytical on this one, but bear … Continue reading ‘We can judge our progress on our willingness to embrace what is true rather than what feels good’ – part II
Anyone who has a specific interest in the Great War knows that there are many myths associated with it. Ask a member of the general public what comes to mind when they think of the War and they will probably respond with a comment based on one of a handful of things: A generation of … Continue reading ‘We can judge our progress on our willingness to embrace what is true rather than what feels good’
When we visit a former First World War battlefield, we often gaze upon a set of fields and woods punctuated by clustered dwellings. At first glance, nothing unusual. However, the strikingly well-maintained war cemeteries, which form a mosaic across that landscape, and the undulating contours where once there were trench lines or explosions, provide certain … Continue reading Guest post – James Wearn ‘The power of the botanical landscape of the First World War’
Ploegsteert Woods CWGC - photograph by Hannah Bausor Today I'm really missing Flanders, having not visited in 3 months which is the longest period I've been away from there in nearly a year! One of my favourite areas is Ploegsteert Wood and it's a place I am keen to return to soon for some solitary … Continue reading ‘There is nothing more alive than a tree that learns how to grow in a cemetery’
Many of us will have heard the names Nellie Spindler and Edith Cavell but British nurse Ethel Rosalie Ferrer McCaul has to a certain extent faded into obscurity over recent years. In 1914 however, Ethel was one of the most prominent and influential voices in Army nursing and a key figure in the reformation of … Continue reading A forgotten heroine of Army nursing
Lucy Betteridge-Dyson 