CHARACTER
EDUCATION SCOTLAND UNLOCKING POTENTIAL - INSPIRING PURPOSE
BETWEEN THE GENERATIONS WWI CENTENARY
W W W. I N S P I R I N G P U R P O S E . O R G . U K
The aim of the Inspiring Purpose programme is to give young people the opportunity to think about their values and character strengths whilst also reflecting on who or what inspires them and their aspirations and goals for the future. Our mission: help young people set goals, demonstrate future-mindedness and develop a sense of purpose.
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B E T W E E N T H E G E N E R AT I O N S - W W I C E N T E N A R Y AWA R D S M A G A Z I N E 2 0 1 8
Over 1,000 young people from across Scotland have participated in both programmes this year. Teacher and parent testimony reveals a transformational effect on those who take part. This magazine is a showcase of the Character, Inspirations and reflections of our young people and their senior partners in the intergenerational programme.
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SUPP RTERS Inspiring Purpose is an independent education programme of the educational charity Character Scotland which was established in 2009 to promote the development of character in young people and intentional character education in schools. We acknowledge the generous support, encouragement and partnership from the following organisations without which the programme would not be possible.
The Big Lottery Fund funds projects and activities that make communities stronger and more vibrant, and that are led by the people who live in them. We support charities, community groups, and people with great ideas - local or national, large or small. We also bring people and groups together: to share experiences, learn from each other and try new ways of working. www.biglotteryfund.org.uk The mission of the John Templeton Foundation is to serve as a philanthropic catalyst for discovery in areas engaging life’s biggest questions. These questions range from explorations into the laws of nature and the universe to questions on the nature of love, gratitude, forgiveness, and creativity. Our vision is derived from Sir John Templeton’s commitment to rigorous scientific research and related scholarship. The Foundation’s motto “How little we know, how eager to learn” exemplifies our support for open-minded enquiry and our hope for advancing human progress through ground breaking discoveries. www.templeton.org D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd is a private company based in Dundee. The company has significant interests in UK newspaper and magazine publishing. Amongst other publications it owns The Courier and Advertiser, The Aberdeen Press and Journal and The Sunday Post. It owns The Beano, The Dandy and Woman’s magazines My Weekly and The People’s Friend, Puzzler Media Ltd (one of the world’s largest publishers of Puzzle Magazines, Crosswords and Sudoku) and Parragon Publishing Ltd which publishes and sells some 90 million books each year worldwide. The company has interests in commercial television, online businesses, and is a major shareholder in Mothercare. DC Thomson supports the programme through the Northwood Trust. www.dcthomson.co.uk The Garfield Weston Foundation was established in 1958 by Willard Garfield Weston, a Canadian businessman who arrived in the UK with his family in 1932. He was the creator of Associated British Foods and the Foundation was endowed with the donation of family-owned company shares. As a result, the Foundation is today the ultimate controller of the company. The trustees today are all lineal descendants of the founder and they remain committed to continuing the ethos that has made the Foundation one of the largest and most respected charitable institutions in the country. It gives them as much pleasure to help a small local community as a major national organisation and they are prepared to consider applications covering a wide range of charitable activity. www.garfieldweston.org
The Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues is a unique and leading Centre for the examination of how character and virtues impact on individuals and society. It offers world class research on the importance of developing good character and virtues and the benefits they bring to individuals and society. A key conviction underlying the existence of the Centre is that the virtues that make up good character can be learnt and taught. The Jubilee Centre believe these have largely been neglected in schools and in the professions. It is also a key conviction that the more people exhibit good character and virtues, the healthier our society. As such, the Centre undertakes development projects seeking to promote the practical applications of its research evidence. www.jubileecentre.ac.uk 4
C NTENTS 6 Foreword 6 Judges’ Comments 8 Welcome 10 10 11 11 12 12 12 13 13 13 14 15 15 15 16 17 18 19 20 22 23 23 24 25 28 29 30 31 31 31 32 33 33 34 34 35 36 36 37 37 37 38 38 40
Between The Generations Sophie Jacobsen & Eddy Jacobsen Eva Cheyne & Michaela Cheyne Matthew McMurray & Morag Wright Evie Mitchell & Dave Bradshaw Andrew Stobie & Val Stobie Kirsty Harrower & Nina Harrower Aayan Khan & Reema Ali Joel & Daniel Gregor Falconer & Paula Falconer Harry Simpson & Sarah Simpson Thomas Ewen & Lindsay Ewen Archie Smith & Graham Smith Andrew Bell & Catriona Bell Marc Lyon & David Lyon Atheel & Sajith Caitlin Mcmullen & Gary Macdonald Katy Shona & Tom Donnelly Helen Affleck & Christine Vale Molly Walker & Gillian Walker Angus Freeman & Catriona Freeman Emily Sloan & Carol Sloan Tessa Crawford & Wendy Crawford Isabel Katherine & John Beattie Gordon Short & Izzy Short Jess Hendry & Scott Hendry Rania Dar & Muhammad Azam Dar Luke Smith & Agnes Scott Amelia Hogg & Isobel Ireland Kerr Anderson & Jacqueline Snowdon Faye Sloan & John Johnstone Dominic Holden & Sheila Blacklock Katie Nairn & Maddy Nairn Kacey Story & Ken Macrae Eden Jamieson & Jimmy Macdonald Tristan & Piet Lind Woolley Lois Carlyle & Janet Robison Finn Patterson & Michael Patterson Tia Mungall & Samantha Mungall Katie Bowran & Marion Linwood Rose Byers & Douglas Byers Phoebe Bruce & Wendy Bruce Steven Rae & Colin Rae Ianthe Slavin & Catherine Bell Rachel Murray & Angela Murray
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Rachel Anne & James Ewen Pat Christie & Elise Rendall James Inkster & Sonia Inkster Aimee Williams & Christian Tait
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World War 1 Lucy MacFadyen Mairi Johnston Emily Winn Rebecca Rose Cochrane Connolly Phoebe Duff Nicole Ferguson Eilidh Edwards Mika Konishi Gaffney Bethany Macdonald Lauren Young Ellie Mackie Zareena Ali Maddison Todd
Designed by CREATIVE CAUSE www.creativecause.co.uk Printed in the UK by THE MAGAZINE COMPANY The Inspiring Purpose Values Poster Awards is a programme of Character Education Scotland Ltd registered charity number SCO40962. The views expressed in this magazine are those of the contributors and not necessarily the views of Character Education Scotland or its trustees. Cover Image & Flower Artwork: Shutterstock Character Education Scotland, Granary Business Centre, Coal Road, Cupar Fife KY15 5YQ Email: admin@character.scot Tel: 01334 844900 © 2018 Character Education Scotland Ltd. All rights reserved. C E N T E N A R Y AWA R D S M A G A Z I N E
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FOREW RD
GRAEME HARTLEY
CHIEF EXECUTIVE CHARACTER EDUCATION SCOTLAND
Our Inspiring Purpose poster programme provides a valuable resource that takes young people on a journey of self-discovery and aspiration. It invites honest self-assessment of values, personal strengths and areas for development. With our Between the Generations and WW1 Centenary posters we continue to challenge young people to learn about the values from that period and the heroic stories of those who fought and suffered on the front, often making the ultimate sacrifice. Over 1000 young people took part which made the judging both difficult but rewarding. We hope you enjoy reading their stories and what it has taught them about purpose in life. Our Inspiring Purpose programme has shown yet again how inspiring our young people can be. Congratulations to all.
JUDGES’ C MMENTS 2015 The posters are hugely impressive. The young people have perceptively picked out the facts but also the humanity involved. They have taken many good lessons from what they have learned.
eloquent and thought-provoking.
Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, KT, former Defence Secretary
The best of these posters engaged directly with the experiences of the war in revealing qualities the pupils themselves felt they needed to develop. Particularly impressive were those who used different personalities (e.g. different poet from principal individual) to show contrasting themes.
Drawing values from history as a young person is creating a foundation for future study and judgement. I was particularly impressed by the depth of research and analysis in the Great War Posters and by the honesty of young people in their self-assessment. A most worthwhile project. Major General Mark Strudwick CBE, Chair of Trustees, Scottish National War Memorial and former GOC Scotland I have been enormously impressed by so many reflective entries at all levels. This project demonstrates conclusively how important it is to encourage our primary and secondary pupils to research events, to ask questions and to evaluate their personal responses. Their answers were 6
Dr Judith McClure CBE, former Head of St George’s School for Girls
Professor Sir Hew Strachan FRSE, Chichele Professor of War Studies, University of Oxford This has been an inspiring and humbling experience. The quality of the entrants was exceptional, and the competition succeeded in bringing out the very best in remarkably talented young people. Lord Faulkner of Worcester, Chair, all-party parliamentary group on war heritage, and member of the government’s WWI centenary advisory board
Reflection via self-assessment is good to young people. They hear plenty from others about how they do things and it is good to them to stop and think about what is being said to either challenge or act. These posters are thoughtful examples of hard work by all the young people who have submitted. Nic Vanderpeet, Formal Learning Manager, Imperial War Museum
2016 The standard of entries was extremely high and it is clear that the students had been able to use the experience of studying the First World War to reflect on their own lives and to start to look ahead. For some, their knowledge and understanding of the impact of WW1 both at the time and since had helped them better to appreciate the world around and how they might start to engage with it differently as they progress into adult life. Commander Nick Chatwin OBE, Royal Navy In being privileged to judge the Inspire>Aspire work I was deeply impressed that so many of the contributors had grasped the enormity and tragedy of war – the dreadful loss of life and the effect on those who participated. The utter pointlessness of war was also represented. I was also impressed that, by studying this work, so many students
2017 The most impressive aspect of this competition is the revelation provides all the energy, passion, commitment and ambition of the participants. There is a powerful message of hope for the future contained in so many of the submissions, but also a great sense of humility and compassion. The contest provides these young students with a unique opportunity to reflect on their own character and seek role models. Sir Deian Hopkin, Chair, Welsh WW1 Commemoration Panel I was impressed by the standard of work presented, by the care taken by the children in presentation, and by the subjects they chose to illustrate the posters. Clearly this is a worthwhile exercise for the children – and great initiative.
It was a profound and moving experience to witness the thoughts and statements of these thoughtful young people who have been encouraged to focus their thinking by these posters. Many of them are self-aware, socially aware and balanced in a way that I was not at their age! William Lorimer, Senior Director, Christie’s, London
were inspired to do something to change things for the better. I was also very pleased that the project had drawn so many of the students to look at WW1 poetry. Jerome Freeman, University of London, co-ordinator, Battlefield Visits It was a great honour to be part of the judging panel for the WW1: Inspiring Purpose competition. Reading through the children’s work was a deeply moving experience and I was very impressed by their thoughtfulness and creativity. The competition is a wonderful way for children to engage with their history and understand the important sacrifices made by men and women a century ago. Lucy Kentish, Never Such Innocence Co-ordinator
The entries were all very thought-provoking and considered. On occasion, there seemed to be a number of class inspired entries, which was disappointing. It is, however, wonderful to see young people engaging with the centenary in this way. Lady Lucy French, Founder, Never Such Innocence It is very difficult for children to engage with life experiences so different from their own. It is therefore impressive to see the efforts that have been made to imagine what war meant to those caught up in it, the sacrifices accepted, and how what they have discovered might influence their view of the future. Professor Sir Lawrence Freedman, Kings College, London
Lieutenant-General Sir Nick Parker, Chairman, Step up to Serve
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WELC ME
DAVID LORIMER
FOUNDER CHARACTER EDUCATION SCOTLAND
The three-page template is the fourth iteration of a similar structure where previous ones have been devoted to London 2012 and Glasgow 2014 with an emphasis on Global Citizens in the Making. The first page asks participants to choose what they regard as the most important quality for them under four headings: courage and confidence, character and competence, respect and connection, caring and compassion. Then they choose and comment on a World War I poem. The central section is devoted to an inspiring story or person and inspiring quotations. Then the third page asks participants to select a photo or painting and comment on their choice. Finally, the section for reflection asks what your research has taught you about the value of life, what you learned from and about each other in the process, and what your vision is for a more peaceful world and how you will bring this to life. Then there is space on the back for evaluation and review. The focus for reflection on the value of life invites participants to think in terms of gratitude. Just 100 years ago, young men might leave school and go directly to the front. I myself was educated at Eton College where nearly 5,700 Old Etonians fought in the war, and 1,168 were killed (the school at the time numbered 1,028, so this is more than a whole five-year generation) and about three times that number were injured. One of the reasons for doing the intergenerational project was that the senior 8
Welcome to our World War I centenary magazine, where you will find a great deal of interesting and moving content. The material is drawn from our school programme as well as the special Between the Generations project where participants jointly complete a special poster template.
partner might remember a personal conversation with someone who actually fought in the Great War. This was my own experience, when in the 1960s and 70s we used to go as a family down to Cornwall, where I met Henry Kay. Henry was born in 1897 and left Eton in 1915, immediately going to the Somme. Deaths of young men were particularly harrowing for housemasters who had known the boys well since they were 13. Henry told me that the average time an officer in his area survived before being wounded or killed for six weeks. You can imagine the mental strain as he edged towards nine months, wondering whether today was the day he would be blown up. Each of these young men, including Henry, witnessed unimaginable horrors. He himself was indeed blown up with badly injured legs, and recalled how he was crawling back towards his line over a plank with muddy water beneath. As he felt himself pass out he thought, goodness, I’m going to drown in 18 inches of water! The next thing he knew was coming to in a hospital bed. On another occasion, after being out all night, he came back dog tired in the morning to find his Batman, who urged him to go and check that his men were all right. After some persuasion, he
reluctantly did so. When he came back half an hour later the place where his Batman had been sheltering had suffered a direct hit, and his head was severed from his body. When he himself went back to London, he visited the family. Evidently, they had been trying to contact him through a medium and there was one thing they did not understand: why was he saying “oh my head, oh my head”. Henry did not have the heart to tell him what he had seen, but this seems to me a significant anecdote. Closer to home in Scotland, our neighbours at Balcarres are the Crawfords. The 27th Earl inherited the title in 1913 on the death of his father Ludovic, who had been President of the Royal Astronomical Society and a Fellow of the Royal Society who had organised his own private expedition to Madagascar to witness the Venus transit. Crawford kept a diary throughout his whole career, including the period he spent as an orderly with the Royal Army Medical Corps; this was published in 2013 as Private Lord Crawford’s Great War Diaries, and makes fascinating reading. Following four of his gardeners into the RAMC, he enlisted as a private in the ranks and in his diary graphically describes the grinding monotony of the work as well as the medical conditions of those he helped treat, for instance for trench foot as well as more serious battle injuries requiring operations. During his time there, he heard that Curzon had nominated him as Viceroy of India and in July 1916 he received an invitation from the Prime Minister, Bonar Law, to return to London and serve as a cabinet minister - he had been an MP and Conservative chief whip before 1913. Thus he became the only Cabinet minister to have served in the ranks, and later referred to this time as a ‘grim experience upon which I look back with infinite tenderness.’
Although many people express gratitude at not having to live through and fight in the First World War, they also reflect that humanity has yet to learn how to live peacefully together, and even as I write there are equally horrendous events going on in places like Syria. People also say that the project has given them time and space to think about the deeper aspects of life and spend some quality time with children, parents and grandparents. I would like to express my appreciation to the Big Lottery Fund for making the Between the Generations project possible. Also to my colleagues Ronnie Davidson, Graeme Hartley, Liam Howard, Jason Penman and Aaron Vaughan for their contribution , as well as to Marianne van Mierlo for help in typing up the material. On November 11 we will celebrate the centenary of the Armistice, marking the end of the First World War. This was signed in a railway carriage in Compiegne Forest, which I visited in 1970, little imagining this project in the future. I can only hope, 100 years from now, that our descendants will be able to look back and celebrate a planetary culture that has organised itself to abolish war and divert the enormous military expenditure into peaceful purposes. Perhaps we will have taken to heart the wise words of the Russian sociologist Pitirim Sorokin, when, reflecting on his own experience during this period he wrote: “Hate begets hate, violence engenders violence, hypocrisy is answered by hypocrisy, war generates war, and love creates love.” Sir Robert Lorimer Ingrid Elliot-Baxter
My own family, like most others in Scotland, has its own connections with World War I. My grandparents on my mother’s side met in France while William was driving ambulances and Ingrid, a Dane, was working as a nurse. Then my father’s father, Sir Robert Lorimer KBE, received the commission to design the Scottish National War Memorial where, fittingly, the awards ceremony for this programme will take place. The money was raised by public subscription and the Memorial was opened in 1927 by the then Prince of Wales, later Edward VIII – while King George V took a close personal interest.
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BETWEEN THE GENERATIONS FINALISTS & WINNERS
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SOPHIE JACOBSEN EDDY JACOBSEN
‘My Boy Jack’ by Rudyard Kipling 1914-18 “HAVE you news of my boy Jack?” Not this tide. “When d’you think that he’ll come back?” Not with this wind blowing, and this tide. “Has any one else had word of him?” Not this tide. For what is sunk will hardly swim, Not with this wind blowing, and this tide. “Oh, dear, what comfort can I find?” None this tide, Nor any tide, Except he did not shame his kind--Not even with that wind blowing, and that tide. Then hold your head up all the more, This tide, And every tide; Because he was the son you bore, And gave to that wind blowing and that tide.
We chose this poem because we thought it was emotionally descriptive. It is describing the feelings of a father who has lost his sailor son at sea. He feels sad and lonely. Although probably deep down he knows his son will not come home, but he still has a glimmer of hope in the first half of the poem. We know this because he keeps on asking if anyone has heard news of his son’s return. In the second half of the poem he is beginning to accept that his son will not return and he is looking for some comfort. He realises that his son had fought bravely with his fellow sailors and that he can still be proud of what he has achieved. We think that the father took himself off to the beach to speak to the waves that took his son’s life. Even though Kipling was writing about a sailor lost at sea, he was thinking about when he lost his own son on the Western front, and could understand how the sailor’s father felt.
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We chose this photo because it showed a number of primary school aged children without a home. This reminds us of how lucky we are – especially considering that there are children in the same situation today. WHAT HAS YOUR RESEARCH TAUGHT YOU ABOUT THE VALUE OF LIFE? We have learned that life is short and that the most meaningful lives are the ones which reflect the values of the person. Living with strong values such as bravery, selflessness and compassion gives meaning to life, not just in recognition by others but giving the strength to some of the people we have read about to cope with extremely horrible conditions and even death by living life based on what they believe in. Our life doesn’t last forever, we can’t waste the limited time we’ve got. We have to find ways of creating happy memories even in the hardest of situations.
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EVA CHEYNE MICHAELA CHEYNE
“You will be home before the leaves have fallen from the trees” – Kaiser Wilhelm It shows that everyone thought that WWI was going to be a short war.
“So long as the memory of certain beloved friends lives in my heart, I shall say that life is good.” – Helen Keller “A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself” – Joseph Campbell Walter Tull (1888-1918) Walter Tull was born in Folkestone and was the son of a slave. He headed to England from Barbados. He had six brothers and sisters so the house was very crowded. After his parents died he moved to a children’s home where he learned how to play football. He became the third black man to play professional football in the UK and when the war broke out he joined the Footballer’s Battalion and became the first black officer to lead white soldiers into battle. He left a legacy in race, war and football.
it was also the women doing the smallest acts at home. We chose this photo because it shows that they are all supporting each other as they can’t see as they have been blinded by the gas.
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MATTHEW MCMURRAY MORAG WRIGHT
“When we step on the battle field I will the first boots on and the last boots off” – Hal Moste I chose this because it shows loyalty to the country “To Jaw Jaw is better than to War War” – Winston Churchill I like this quote because it is concise and it conveys a great deal.
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EVIE MITCHELL DAVE BRADSHAW
Sidney Godley VC We picked Sidney Godley as our inspiring person because he inspires us to be braver. Sidney Godley, the son of a painter and decorator was born in the North End Imberhorne Lane, East Grinstead in 1889. At fourteen he began work in an iron mongers shop but with a desire of a more exciting life and six years later he joined the British Army. When the First World War was declared in August 1914, Godley, a royal fusilier, was immediately sent to stop the advancing German army. The Royal Fusiliers arrived in France on 14th August 1914. They were moved to Mons in Belgium where the French Army was trying to halt the German Advance. Sidney was the first private to be awarded the VC during the War for holding a bridge single-handed under heavy fire while the rest of the section retreated. He carried on even after being wounded in the head. He died on 29th June 1957.
“Put your heart, mind and soul into even your smallest acts. This is the secret to success.” – Swami Sivananda We chose this quote because it says ‘put your heart, mind and soul into even the smallest acts’ and this was what the young men did in the wars. In the war it wasn’t just the soldiers who helped, C E N T E N A R Y A W A R D S M A G A Z I N E 11
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ANDREW STOBIE VAL STOBIE
“As he climbs out of the trench with the rest of the lads he feels lifted up as by angels.” Thomas Stobie My Great Great Great Uncle Thomas Stobie who died in the First World War. He was only 22 when he died. He is remembered on a plaque in Edinburgh Waverley Station as he worked there as a Railwayman. He volunteered to fight in the war like many men at the time. We didn’t realise he was on the plaque until my Dad started working at Edinburgh Waverley and noticed his name there. I find him inspiring as he wasn’t scared to volunteer and gave his life for his country. I am very proud to have had him in my family.
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KIRSTY HARROWER NINA HARROWER WHAT HAS YOUR RESEARCH TAUGHT YOU ABOUT THE VALUE OF LIFE?
That life is important and to not waste it. These soldiers were young when they went to war. Many of these young men didn’t come home to their families and were killed in battle. They didn’t get a chance to live a full life and died so our generation could live. These soldiers were brave and we should never forget them. I will try to be happy, caring, cheerful and hard-working for the rest of my life.
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AAYAN KHAN REEMA ALI
“Merry it was to laugh there – Where death becomes absurd and life absurder, For power was on us as we slashed bones bare Not to feel sickness or remorse of murder” – Wilfred Owen
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“You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something sometime in your life!” – Winston Churchill Desmond T Doss Have you ever heard of a WWII soldier without a gun? We were truly inspired by a WWII soldier called Desmond T Doss. Desmond was a devout Christian who truly believed and followed the principle ‘Thou shall not kill’. This is why he refused to carry a gun. For which he was put on trial and it was decided that Doss was allowed to not carry a weapon. This led him to the battlefield of Hacksaw Ridge. The battle has been referred to as the ‘Typhoon of Steel’ in English. Both sides were killing and bombing each other non-stop. In this Doss single-handedly saved 750+ of his comrades, while fearlessly braving heavy fire. He would search all over the field, looking for the injured, then he would pull them towards the corners of the ridge and lower the injured towards safety.
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JOEL DANIEL
“Never think that war, no matter how necessary nor how justified, is not a crime” – Ernest Hemingway WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR A MORE PEACEFUL WORLD AND HOW WILL YOU HELP BRING THIS TO LIFE? “Don’t judge people by appearance” “Peace cannot be kept by force only by understanding”
from drowning in River Lea. McFadden would go into No Man’s land to save injured soldiers. He was awarded a military medal for his bravery. McFadden sadly died during the Battle of Somme. McFadden witnessed the death of his best friend and sent this letter: ‘I, Richard McFadden, sadly report the death of my best friend William Jonas on the morning of 27th july, age 26. Yours, Richard McFadden.’ Some would say that Orient were fortunate to only lose three out of forty-one players. Many of the Orient players were wounded but keep Jimmy Hugall, after getting wounded three times including one to his eye, he still played for Orient after the war. Clapton Orient’s service and sacrifice in WWI is one example of how Britain responded to WWI.
“Instead of fighting we could sit down like mature adults and try to solve the problem fairly and diplomatically” “Peace begins with a smile” I’ll start every day with a smile and share peace with the world.
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GREGOR FALCONER PAULA FALCONER
Clapton Orient FC If you fall behind, run faster. Never give up, never surrender and rise up against the odds. A meeting was organised by the army and the Football Association in Fulham Town Hall. The Chairman, Mayor of Fulham, President of Fulham FC, President of the Football Association followed by Clapton Orient and others attended the meeting. After the mayor’s speech those who wanted to fight were asked to stand on the stage. The first person to sign up was the captain of Clapton Orient, he was followed by other players. WellsHolland, a Clapton player, managed to encourage everyone else to join. Clapton lost three of their players during WWI. McFadden was not just a hero in the war but he saved a man from burning and saved a boy
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HARRY SIMPSON SARAH SIMPSON
“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak. Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.” – Sir Winston Churchill “Our prime purpose in life is to help others and if you can’t help them, then at least don’t hurt them” – The Dalai Lama
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(Harry writes) My great, great grandfather is a hero in my eyes. During WWI he was on the battlefield riding on his horse. He was surrounded by hundreds of other soldiers, some of whom became his friends. One man in particular had become good friends with my great great grandfather. Sadly, his friend got shot and fell off his horse, my gg grandfather leapt off his horse and cradled him in his arms. Before he died he reached into his jacket pocket and took out his New Testament Bible and gave it to my gg grandfather. When the war ended he kept it. And we still have it to this day. (Sarah writes) I admire his bravery very much, he could have been killed but he still took the time to comfort his friend when he was dying. I think he was incredibly kind and we would love to be as kind as him. When Grandma told us this story, it really inspired us. If anyone is in need, we want to help them and show them kindness. I really enjoyed this project. The fact that it was thought-provoking personal was a welcome change from the usual homework like maths and English. This made us stop and think and listen to each other. I loved it! WHAT HAS YOUR RESEARCH TAUGHT YOU ABOUT THE VALUE OF LIFE? Our research made us feel emotional. It has made us think about everyone we care about and how important their lives are. This story has taught us that bravery and compassion are so important in our lives, especially in today’s world.
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THOMAS EWEN LINDSAY EWEN
Walter Tull Born to Barbadian parents on 28/04/88. Walter Tull endured poverty, racism and becoming an orphan as a child. At the age of 21, Tull signed for Tottenham Hotspur but only played 10 times for the first team. This was presumed to be due to racial abuse from opposing teams. He then transferred to Northampton Town where he played over 110 times.
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The war broke out in August 1914 and Tull became the first Northampton player to enlist. Tull was also the first coloured infantry officer and lieutenant of the British Army. Tull was denied a military cross supposedly because of his colour. He was killed at Favreuil at the age of 30. His body was never recovered but at the ARRAS memorial he is remembered. Despite everything he endured as a child he went on to be a professional footballer and he fought for our country’s freedom. It is sad to think that he did not get the recognition he deserved due to the colour of his skin. Walter Tull was very resilient because of what he went through as a child and still be able to keep his head up and was able to achieve what he did. It is exactly 100 years ago today (25/3/18) that Walter was killed and it is only now that he is being remembered and celebrated in books, plays and possibly a movie. “This project has taught me that life is a gift even with its ups and downs and that we should never take it for granted” – Thomas Ewen “As someone who is close to 50, I can look back and see how quickly time passes. I have learned to accept that life is short and to be grateful for what. I would therefore encourage everyone not to waste time and to make her life.” – Lindsay Ewen
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ARCHIE SMITH GRAHAM SMITH
Robert Collie We have chosen Robert Collie as our inspirational figure because he was a soldier who refused to give up. He survived the battle of Somme and lived another day to fight at Ypres. But sadly, he got shot in the stomach and was left for dead in Passchendaele. His body was thrown among other corpses. He was rescued by an Indian medic who saw his body twitching. However, he was back a year later fighting for his country.
As a hobby he collected antiquities and Chinese porcelain. “The importance of working together to create a peaceful living environment cannot be overstated. This has been brought to the fore for me after reviewing previous World War campaigns” – David Lyon
His near death experience was not the only misfortune that he suffered from. He lost two brothers who also worked for the army. Robert also lost a sister in the London bombing. Robert earned his 13 medals as his time as a soldier. Robert inspires me for a lot of reasons including: 1) he showed resilience with his injury and loss of relatives, but he still goes back and fight 2) Robert showed loyalty to his country 3) Courage for standing up to his enemies and never giving up. We chose this picture because this is just a small portion of the millions that lost their lives during battle. “I have learned how important it is that we all remember the huge sacrifice that soldiers made for us all. It is very difficult in this day and age for young generations to imagine the conditions and experience that so many went through” – Graham Smith
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MARC LYON DAVID LYON
Lord Kitchener (1850-1916) Our inspiring person is Lord Kitchener. He is best known for playing a crucial role in raising a large volunteer army in Britain. Without his help, the war effort would not have been the success it was. He led efforts to expand arms production and set Britain on course for the long effort of war. Although he is best known for his military career, he was also involved in archaeological work throughout much of his life. He worked in areas of the world which included Palestine, Cyprus and Egypt.
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ANDREW BELL CATRIONA BELL
“I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.” – Winston Churchill “It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light” – Aristotle “Believe you can, and you’re halfway there” – Theodore Roosevelt “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” – Aesop
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John MacLeod On the quayside of Lochalsh at 9 pm the 31st December 1918, just before the first New Year of peace, thousands of soldiers came of trains ready to be taken home to the outer Hebrides. There were so many of them, that the SS Sheila couldn’t take them all, so Iolaire was sent to take the rest. She never made it. In the early hours of New Year’s Day 1919, she crashed into some rocks half a mile from Stornoway. The men survived the war, only to die on their doorstep. The hero of the night was John MacLeod, he dived from the ship through the icy waters with a rope and tied the other end to a rock. This allowed another 40 men to swim across. Donald Morrison climbed the ships mast and survived in the water for 8 hours until he was rescued. The people of the Outer Hebrides banned the subject for another 50 years. The sinking of the Iolaire with the loss of 181 men was the worst maritime accident in peacetime UK history other than the Titanic. Grenade Attack on Panzer tanks by Fritz Fuhkren. We chose this painting because it captures the death and destruction of wars. It is a horrible but very true reminder of what the soldiers went through. The colours show red for bloodshed and the black for mourning in my opinion. WHAT HAS YOUR RESEARCH TAUGHT YOU ABOUT THE VALUE OF LIFE? (Andrew writes) Research has taught me that I’m very lucky to live in a democratic/developed, peaceful country. In the past and the present day there are people that live in fear of their lives because of war. I value the life of the people in my country and innocent people around the world. Human life is fragile and history needs to be remembered, so that we don’t make the same mistake again. WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM AND ABOUT EACH OTHER IN THE PROCESS? I have learned that my mother is very persistent and self-disciplined. It made us reflect on areas we need to improve. We shared our thoughts about certain values. Loyalty is ranked highly in Andrew’s values. Andrew is beginning to have an awareness 16
that hard work and self-discipline brings personal rewards. He made me think about how positive I was and where it plays a role for both of us. It made us think about our approach to life. Andrew and I enjoyed ranking virtues and values in order of importance. It made us reflect on what we felt were our strength and weaknesses. I have never believed that war is the answer or solution to conflict. Communicating is the only way forward, and this project has reinforced how fragile our world is and how unpredictable a war is – Catriona Bell.
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ATHEEL SAJITH
“Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor justified, is not a crime” – Ernest Hemingway The quote inspires us to find more peaceful options in solving disputes rather than using violence. The Angels of Peyvres Mairi Chisholm and Elsie Knocker are two people who risked their lives for the sake of others. They inspired us to be brave and to care for others. Elsie Knocker was born on June 29th 1884. Her parents died when she was a child. She was adopted by a teacher and later grew up to become a midwife. Mairi was born to a wealthy family on 26th February 1896. She also liked motorbikes.
She was just 18 when she met 30 year-old Elsie in Hampshire. As they both liked motorbikes, they became friends quickly. They also competed in motorbike races. As the war came to Britain, Elsie very much wanted to be a part of it. She wrote to Mairi and they both joined the Women’s Emergency Corps. The two were sent to a hospital in Belgium. The hospital was full with wounded soldiers and it was a bit far from the battlefield. Many soldiers were lying on the floor. Mairi and Elsie had a solution for this problem. They set up a dressing station close to the trenches. They dressed the soldiers wounds to stop them from bleeding. Their patriotism, consideration for fellowmen, boldness and selfless choices they made is quite an inspiration to everyone. They received many medals for their service and were knighted by the King. They were called the ‘Angels of Peyvres’. WHAT HAS YOUR RESEARCH TAUGHT YOU ABOUT THE VALUE OF LIFE? The WWI was started by the leaders of different countries for their political gains. Millions of innocent lives perished in the war. While studying the strategies of war, we learned that there was a total lack of respect towards human life. Many young men were send to fight the war and die in the name of patriotism. I believe that nobody must have the power to ruin other’s lives. “I have always loved history and especially war histories. But after doing this project and learning about World War I in great detail, I was really taken back by the atrocities and sufferings of war. I still think that humanity has not learnt much from wars as is evident in the recent events in Syria, Turkey etc” - Sajith
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CAITLIN MCMULLEN GARY MACDONALD
Edith Cavell Edith Cavell was born on 4th December 1865 in Swardeston and died on 12th October 1915. Edith Louisa Cavell was a British nurse who was celebrated for saving soldiers from both sides without discrimination and in helping 700 allied soldiers escape, from German occupied Belgium during the first World War, which she was arrested for. She was accused of treason, found guilty by a court-martial and was sentenced to death! Despite international pressure for mercy, she was shot at the age of 50 by a German firing squad. Her execution received worldwide condemnation and extensive press coverage. Edith Cavell helped both British and German soldiers. She is well known for her statement that “‘Patriotism’ is not enough. I must have no hate in my heart”. She was also quoted for saying “I can’t stop while there are lives to be saved.” The Church of England commemorates her in their calendar of saints on the 12th October.
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The Christmas Truce Late on Christmas Eve in 1914, British soldiers heard German soldiers singing and saw lanterns and small fir trees along their trenches, messages were then shouted from both trenches to each other. The following day British and German soldiers met in no man’s land and exchanged gifts. Some officers were unhappy at the truce and worried that it would undermine fighting spirit. In the end both sides in high commands tried to prevent any truces like this from happening again. Despite this, there were some isolated incidents of soldiers’ truces. Some played a game of football, with the score being 2-1 to the British. They also buried casualties and repaired trenches and dugouts. After Boxing Day no one dared to go back to the middle and it dwindled out. However, the German leaders were so angry about the truce that they wanted to kill all their men. We chose this picture because it shows the British and Germans meeting at no-mans land on Christmas Day 1914 and played a game of football in which the score was 2-1 to the British. WHAT HAS YOUR RESEARCH TAUGHT YOU ABOUT THE VALUE OF LIFE? This research has taught us the value of life and how we shouldn’t take anything for granted and not to judge people because they are different from you and to always find peace through wars and fights. “I think I’ve learned about the importance of life and high should take anything for granted. I now won’t judge anyone even though they are different from me.” - Caitlin McMullen “Doing this project has reminded me that we sometimes take things for granted that don’t happen these days. The Great War was a major part of our history where many good men lost their lives for their country so that future generations could be free and happy. I myself am in the forces and I see how these men cope helped each other through those hard times. Also doing this poster I find that Caitlin was very knowledgeable about the war and we share the same views as well, which was very inspiring to me.” - Gary MacDonald
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KATY SHONA DONNELLY TOM DONNELLY
“Difficult does not mean impossible. It simply means that you have to work hard” – Eddie Rickenbocker Fred Muss There were 5,704,416 British soldiers enlisted in WW1 and amongst them there was a special person that would serve and help his country no matter what. This person would show bravery and fight till the end. This person was called Fred Muss. This is Fred’s story. In 1914 when war broke out a brave young lad called Fred spotted a poster which was advertising for soldiers, ‘Lord Kitchener seemed to be pointing at me! I want to be a soldier, I want to be a hero, I will do it. I am going to fight!’ Fred had thought. When he went into the recruiting office to enlist, it was packed with men – shop assistants, factory workers and office boys. They were all different shapes and sizes, but what made them alike was that they all wanted to be soldiers, they all wanted to be like the red coated war heroes from ‘the boy’s own paper’.
Once Fred had been enlisted it took about a year to train him. Horses pulled the gun carriages, and so they learned everything they needed to know about these beautiful animals, how to look after them and how they worked. Of course they were also taught how to load, aim and fire. When they had finally finished their brutal training it was September 1915.
bravest act you could ever hear of! He had been fighting and noticed an injured soldier that didn’t have a gas mask and was suffering terribly! So Fred had decided to share his gas mask, aware of how badly Fred could suffer, but to him the soldier dying was not an option. Fred soon developed breathing problems after the war due to his bravery.
As he left for France there were crowds waving them off and shedding tears, Fred felt like a hero! The next day as they travelled along French country lanes, they passed a column of German prisoners. They stared blankly at the soldiers. That’s when Fred realised the Germans didn’t look bad or evil, in fact they look just like us.
‘It was worth it’ Fred declared. Now he will not be forgotten, he will be remembered for risking his life for others. So in honour of him we will put other people before ourselves, always.
Just a few weeks later they were ordered to the port of Marseille to embark for Greece and the Salonika front. The soldiers arrived at a camp some joker had called ‘Happy Valley’. But it was no Greek holiday for them! They endured snow blizzards so cold that some men lost fingers due to frostbite! When summer arrived it was feverishly hot. They had a hard time fighting the Bulgarian army on those hills, yet Fred refused to die, he fought on and on and on eager to save his country! Fred was then moved to Palestine where they captured Jerusalem from the Turkish Army. Then it was back to the mud and blood of France. While in France, Fred found out about the ‘silent weapon’ called Poison Gas, they were worried, but they kept fighting. As they were fighting in the second Battle of Somme, Fred performed the
“I have learned that although it is 100 years since World War I we still have lessons to learn. The world is still full of senseless conflict on the right is the time of plenty to teach us” – Thomas Donnelly “Katy has written about an ordinary man who did something inspirational. I feel that this applies to all of us. No matter ordinary our lives are we are all capable of doing something inspirational” – Shona Donnelly
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HELEN AFFLECK CHRISTINE VALE
“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them.” - Laurence Binyon I found this quote very moving because it says all the young men will never be able to live their life, have children and grow old. However, we must always remember them and the sacrifice they made for us to find peace. ‘In Flanders Fields’ by John McCrae, May 1915 In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields.
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Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.
I chose this poem because the image of red poppies amongst the crosses makes you think of blood everywhere. I think the poppies are like soldiers standing in a row. Even though the soldiers are dead, the bright and cheerful poppies growing gives us hope and makes us remember. The lark still singing in the sky despite the horrors of death and injury on the ground below, shows us that life goes on. Reginald Lewis (my great, great grandpa) My story is about my great, great grandpa - Reginald Lewis, born 29th April 1887, in Southport. In 1916 he joined up to the army but as he was short sighted he was put in the labour corps and got sent to France where he was digging up ditches and trenches. He heard help was needed at the office so they gave him a trial but as his writing was poor from blisters, he didn’t get the job, but as he learnt French and German they made him a billeting officer. I admire my great great grandpa because he was bright and worked hard learning languages. This showed his determination to make him the best he could be and that made him an amazing person.
Paul Nash – The Menin Road We chose this painting because it shows the horrors of war. The trees are burnt, they are pools of dirty water and rubble everywhere, it’s a picture of wasteland. The dark smoky clouds with the bright lights of the search light and the soldiers struggling through the mud give it an eerie and frightening feeling.
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MOLLY WALKER GILLIAN WALKER
“Be kind wherever possible. It is always possible” – The Dalai Lama “The purpose of life is a life of purpose” – Robert Byrne In Flanders Fields by John McRae Comment: The scene in the poem is a cemetery with poppies growing between rows of crosses. The poem starts peacefully but the sound of guns and fighting are then brought in, vividly reminding you what can happen in a war. The poem shows the contrast between the living and the dead. When the young soldiers were alive they would be able to see and feel the beauty around them. When their lives are taken they can no longer experience these things. They are now lying beneath the crosses. The poem reminds us of how quickly life can be taken, and this is the terrible tragedy of war. INSPIRING STORY I have researched and written the following with my mum. My inspiring story is based around my great, great grandfather. His name was John Alexander Cargill. He worked during his life as a Gardener and he moved to the Isle of Raasay (a long sliver of an Island located off the west coast of Scotland, near Skye) in 1912 where he became the head gardener at Raasay House. Raasay became the location of one of the most unlikely prisoner of war camps. I have chosen this
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as my inspiring story because of the incredible compassion and kindness that was shown by the Islanders to the prisoners, despite the war. Iron Ore (rocks and minerals from which iron can be removed) was found on the Isle of Raasay before the war. With WW1 came a massive demand for ammunition. Raasay, however, did not have the people available to mine the Iron Ore as many had been called up to fight, and so they used the labour of German prisoners. This was therefore the reason for the prisoner of war camp. In spite of their differences, the German prisoners became part of the Raasay community. We have read many of the lovely stories, some of which are as follows: The German prisoners of war were skilled craftsmen, and they were chosen for the mining work because of this. They made exquisite wooden jewellery boxes and they even made jewellery to go inside them. Many of the prisoners also made toys for the local children. The head-mining engineer’s daughter remembers concerts held at their house where a talented prisoner of war would play the violin. But the story that stands out the most to us, is that of a lady called Jessie Ferguson. Jessie’s son, Fergie Ferguson, had been captured and was being held in a German prison camp. During this time, she made a promise to provide the German prisoners with extra food in the hope that someone would be doing the same for her son. She was sometimes given a hard time for doing this, but she would say ‘these are some mother’s children, and I so hope that someone will be looking after mine’. She was determined to keep the ‘German boys’, who were starving on half rations, alive. Food was very scarce during the war and because of John Alexander Cargill’s job as gardener he was never sent away to fight. Instead he worked, with the help of some of the German prisoners, growing food in the gardens of Raasay House. His grandson (who is my grandpa) recalls from stories told that he had a good relationship with
the prisoners. He was given a beautifully crafted wooden jewellery box from the prisoners who had worked with him, further suggesting that his relationship with the prisoners was respectful. WHAT HAS YOUR RESEARCH TAUGHT YOU ABOUT LIFE? Life is very precious and should not be wasted. We need to take time to enjoy and appreciate the beautiful things around us, including the people in our lives. Even in times of trouble and sadness there is always something good to be found. We feel that the quote ‘to the world you are one person, but to one person you may be the world’ reflects Jessie Ferguson’s relationship with her son (from our inspirational story). This is true of so many parent and child relationships. WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR A MORE PEACEFUL WORLD AND HOW WILL YOU HELP BRING THIS TO LIFE? Our vision for a more peaceful world is to encourage people to be more caring and respectful towards others. We will always try to be kind and understanding, and approach things with an open mind. We will try to be mindful of those around us and help those in need of a little support.
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ANGUS FREEMAN CATRIONA FREEMAN
“An eye for an eye ends up making the whole world blind” - Gandhi ‘Here Dead We Lie’ by A E Housman Here dead we lie Because we did not choose To live and shame the land From which we sprung. Life, to be sure, Is nothing much to lose, But young men think it is, And we were young. My granny and my favourite WW1 poem is ‘Here dead we lie’, and we have chosen it because it says so much in so few words. It talks about young men feeling forced into the British army, because if they didn’t join up they would be thought to be cowards. It doesn’t mention it in the first paragraph, but in the second paragraph it says ‘Life, to be sure, is nothing much to lose, But young men think it is, and we were young.’ So it states that 1) the soldiers were young and 2) more young men aged from 15-20 died than the older, more experienced soldiers who stayed behind the lines and planned the battle but never fought. Woodbine Willie Woodbine Willie was a heroic priest in WW1 and was awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery. He got this nickname, because he always smoked and gave soldiers Woodbine cigarettes. In the battle of Messines Ridge, he ran across the battlefield into no man’s land to save wounded soldiers from both sides despite some of the soldiers being enemies. He saved these soldiers lives in the same battle that a shell exploded so loud, it could be heard 100 miles away, in London, so it must have taken a lot of courage to climb out of the trench. Willie wasn’t part of the medical team, he was only a priest, so he didn’t have to go out there and save people’s lives. He chose to! He also didn’t have to help the enemy soldiers, he did it out of the kindness of his own heart.
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WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR A MORE PEACEFUL WORLD AND HOW WILL YOU HELP BRING THIS TO LIFE? (Angus writes) My vision of a more peaceful world is that people and countries pay attention to detail, review the situation, and try to make an agreement before diving and rushing along the path of war. I would do this by, if I ever play a big role for my country, trying to prevent a war by coming to an agreement and making it fair. If a war breaks out, I will try to persuade people that there are more ways to get round an argument than bloodshed. (Catriona writes) I would wish that young people use their knowledge and interests to meet and share with others their desire for a peaceful future. I, like them, will try to find out about the values and wishes of people of different countries in the hope that we all might realize that we share the same values and aspirations for our lives.
This photo reminds us of the huge number of lives lost in World War 1 and that each life was individual and irreplaceable. It also reminds us of the importance of remembrance and of avoiding conflict in future generations. “I have learned that it was a hard life in WW1 and that life was not treasured as it is now. I have also learned that heroes come in all shapes and sizes” – Angus Freeman
“It has made me reflect on the importance of remembering the past in order to avoid making the same mistakes in the future. Our young people now have the resources to research and inform them about this, enabling them to be better prepared, I trust, to make sensible and balanced choices in their lives and for the lives of others” – Catriona Freeman
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(Carol writes) “I learnt that Emily has learnt a lot about WWII at school and has read quite a few war poems. She understands the horror and complexity of it all.” “I am proud that we have managed to work collaboratively to produce a good poster. We’ve had discussions about some serious projects which Emily understood and took in with a mature manner “
EMILY SLOAN CAROL SLOAN
“There are some stories which we are not only an audience to, but may become their participants.” – Sir Nicolas Winton “Don’t worry about failures, worry about the chances you miss when you don’t even try.” – Jack Canfield “Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass but learning to dance in the rain.” – Vivian Green Sir Nicolas Winton Winton saved over 600 children from the Holocaust. Instead of going for a skiing holiday he went to Prague because his friend asked him for help. A lot of Jews couldn’t leave but wanted their children saved. He set up a desk in a hotel reception and started making a list of children. Once back in London, he persuaded the government to take them. Seven trains got through and 669 young lives were saved, and their future generations. The eighth train with 250 children would have left on 1 September 1939 but World War 2 broke out so they were not allowed to leave. I think he’s inspiring because he went out of his way to save hundreds of lives and put others before himself. WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM AND ABOUT EACH OTHER IN THE PROCESS? (Emily writes) “I have learned from my mum that she knows me quite well and knows what I would say in situations. Also she knows a lot about what happened in the war and told me about Schindler’s List.”
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TESSA CRAWFORD WENDY CRAWFORD
“Rather, ten times, die in the surf, heralding the way to a new world, than stand idly on the shore” – Florence Nightingale Florence Nightingale OM I chose this quote because it means you just have to go for it! That’s what I try to do.
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Florence was born on 12th May 1820 in Florence, Italy. Her mother was called Fanny and her father William. She also had a sister, Frances, and they were a wealthy family. Florence told her family she wanted to be a nurse. They didn’t support her decision for they just wanted her to find a man and get married. When Florence and her friend went to Kaisewerth (now Germany) at age 20, she went to visit the hospital in Salisbury to learn more about nursing. She took training and 3 months later she returned home as a trained nurse to find all her family sick. She treated them and they soon came back to full health. Florence went to nurse at the Crimean War, she helped with lots of patients but she was not happy with the atmosphere so she cleared the drains, supplied people with clean drinking water and more. She then went to a chat with Queen Victoria to see what help she could give.
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ISABEL KATHERINE JOHN BEATTIE
Dreamers by Siegfried Sassoon Soldiers are citizens of death’s grey land, Drawing no dividend from time’s to-morrows. In the great hour of destiny they stand, Each with his feuds, and jealousies, and sorrows. Soldiers are sworn to action; they must win Some flaming, fatal climax with their lives. Soldiers are dreamers; when the guns begin They think of firelit homes, clean beds and wives. I see them in foul dug-outs, gnawed by rats, And in the ruined trenches, lashed with rain, Dreaming of things they did with balls and bats, And mocked by hopeless longing to regain Bank-holidays, and picture shows, and spats, And going to the office in the train.
We like this poem because it makes us realise that soldiers who were fighting on foreign country, risking their lives, ordinary people like us and all the time they were dreaming about their home and family just like we would do. “I realise that patriotism is not enough. I must have no hatred or bitterness towards anyone.” – Edith Cavell “We become brave by doing brave acts” – Aristotle
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“Some have been thought brave because they were afraid to run away.” – Thomas Fuller “Peace is not something you wish for, it is something you make, something you are, something you do and something you give away.” – Robert Fulghum Edith Cavell Edith Cavell was born in 1865 in Norfolk. Her first job was working as a governess in Belgium. When her father became ill, she went back to care for him and became interested in nursing. Edith trained to be a nurse and when are broke out she nursed soldiers, including the enemy. She helped smuggle soldiers to safety and saved 200 men. She was found out and executed by a German firing squad on 12th October 1915. WHY WE FIND HER INSPIRING? We are inspired by her dedication to nursing and her bravery and selflessness in helping soldiers escape and also nursing everyone even the ‘enemy’. When the Germans arrived she could have saved herself but instead she stayed at her post so she could help others. HOW IS SHE REMEMBERED? After Edith died, a statue was made of her in London with the words Humanity, Fortitude, Devotion and Sacrifice. She also has a mountain in Canada named after her. WHAT HAS YOUR RESEARCH TAUGHT YOU ABOUT THE VALUE OF LIFE? We have learned that all human life is valuable from nurses like Edith Cavell who cared for people in need no matter where they came from. Despite
this, many young people lost their lives in WW1. The painting ‘Over the Top’ shows an example of this. The poem ‘Dreamers’ helps us appreciate that these soldiers were just like us, and had the same wish to enjoy peaceful lives at home. The soldiers valued their lives as highly as we do, yet were prepared to sacrifice them for their country. The quotes about bravery make us reflect whether we would have had the courage if in their shoes. WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR A MORE PEACEFUL WORLD AND HOW WILL YOU HELP BRING THIS TO LIFE? If everyone realised that people from other countries are not better or worse, it would help towards a more peaceful world. New technology is making the world smaller and allowing people to communicate across borders, which wasn’t possible 100 years ago. This can develop friendships and stop conflict. However, we have also seen that things like the internet can be used in bad ways to try to get people to hate each other because they’re different. We will agree to disagree if we have a difference of opinion with someone. We chose ‘Over the Top’ by John Nash because it shows how brave the soldiers were in going towards the enemy even though they new they might not survive. The artist was inspired by his own experience Being one of 12 survivors out of 80. “By taking part in this project I have learned what a tragedy World War I was and in so many brave people died for their country or for trying to help others like Edith Cavell “ – Isabel Beattie
“It has been good to spend time working with my daughter on this project and discussing the large themes that it entails, which we’ve not discussed before. I learned that she has mature views for her age. It was also nice to revisit some of the war poetry I remember studying at school. As an adult, they were easier to comprehend and relate to, compared to when I was a teenager “ – John Beattie
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GORDON SHORT IZZY SHORT
Adlestrop by Edward Thomas Yes. I remember Adlestrop— The name, because one afternoon Of heat the express-train drew up there Unwontedly. It was late June. The steam hissed. Someone cleared his throat. No one left and no one came On the bare platform. What I saw Was Adlestrop—only the name And willows, willow-herb, and grass, And meadowsweet, and haycocks dry, No whit less still and lonely fair Than the high cloudlets in the sky. And for that minute a blackbird sang Close by, and round him, mistier, Farther and farther, all the birds Of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire.
My favourite World War One Poem is by a poet considered to be a war poet, Edward Thomas, but the poem I most like, Adlestrop, is not about the war but about the peace in June 1914, just before war broke out. Edward was a middle-aged family man and did not need to fight, but volunteered to go to France, and was killed on Easter Monday 1917 at Arras. He would have gone because of a sense of duty. His poem is a beautiful evocation of the countryside and is now widely loved. Elsie Inglis Elsie Inglis was a historically famous doctor who helped in many ways during WWI. When she qualified as a doctor in 1892, she carried on to another general hospital. However, Elsie did not like this one much, due to how female patients were not treated fairly and that was when she
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CHARACTER
EDUCATION SCOTLAND UNLOCKING POTENTIAL - INSPIRING PURPOSE
WW1/BETWEEN & GENERATIONS AWARDS EVENT Thursday 8th November 2018 The Scottish National War Memorial The Castle, Edinburgh 17:15 – 19:15 hrs
BETWEEN THE GENERATIONS - AWARD WINNERS 1st Prize - Christian Tait & Aimee Williams 2nd Prize - Gordon & Isobel Short 2nd Prize - Gillian & Molly Walker 2nd Prize - Gary MacDonald & Caitlin McMullen 3rd Prize - Sonia & James Inkster 3rd Prize - Angus & Catriona Freeman 3rd Prize - Janet Robison & Lois Carlyle 3rd Prize - Ianthe Slavin & Catherine Bell 3rd Prize - Jacqueline Snowdon & Kerr Anderson 3rd Prize - Muhammad Dar & Rania Azam Dar
BETWEEN THE GENERATIONS - FINALISTS Aayan Khan & Reema Ali, Amelia Hogg & Isobel Ireland, Andrew Bell & Catriona Bell, Andrew Stobie & Val Stobie, Archie Smith & Graham Smith, Atheel & Sajith, Dominic Holden & Sheila Blacklock, Eden Jamieson & Jimmy Macdonald, Emily & Carol Sloan, Eva Cheyne & Michaela Cheyne, Evie Mitchell & Dave Bradshaw, Faye Sloan & John Johnstone, Finn Patterson & Michael Patterson, Gregor Falconer and Paula Falconer, Harry Simpson & Sarah Simpson, Helen Affleck & Christine Vale, Isabel Katherine & John Beattie, Jess Hendry & Scott Hendry, Joel and Daniel, Kacey Story & Ken Macrae, Katie Nairn & Maddy Nairn, Katie Bowran & Marion Linwood, Katy Shona & Tom Donnelly, Kirsty Harrower & Nina Harrower, Luke Smith & Agnes Scott, Marc Lyon & David Lyon, Matthew McMurray & Morag Wright, Pat Christie & Elise Rendall, Phoebe Bruce & Wendy Bruce, Rachel Murray & Angela Murray, Rachel Anne & James Ewen, Rose & Douglas Byers, Sophie Jacobsen & Eddy Jacobsen, Steven Rae & Colin Rae, Tessa Crawford & Wendy Crawford, Thomas Ewen & Lindsay Ewen, Tia Mungall & Samantha Mungall, Tristan Woolley & Piet Lind Woolley
EVENT PROGRAMME 17:15 – 17:30 Guests arrive and clear security 17:30 Guests assemble at The Scottish National War Memorial 17:30 – 17:40 Introduction – David Lorimer, Chief Consultant, Character Education Scotland 17:40 – 18:10 Presentation of Prizes, Professor Norman Drummond CBE, FRSE, Chair, Scottish Commemorations Panel and David Elston, Chair of Trustees, Character Education Scotland or another Trustee as appropriate 18:10 – 18:20 History of The Scottish National War Memorial, Lieutenant Colonel Colin McGrory, Secretary to the Trustees, The Scottish National War Memorial 18:30 – 19:15 Opportunity for guests to view Memorial 19:15 Close and guests depart through security
WW1 CENTENARY - SCHOOL PRIZES Broughton High School Bethany MacDonald Gracemount High School Nicole Ferguson Islay High School Ellie Mackie & Lauren Young Mount Vernon Primary School Phoebe Duff, Maddison Todd & Rebecca Rose Cochrane Connolly Pitlochry High School Eilidh Edwards Turnbull High School Lucy MacFadyen Williamston Primary School Zareena Ali
decided that hospitals should only be run by women. She then returned to Edinburgh in 1894 and established a medical practice with another female physician. In 1904 she successfully set up a small maternity hospital on the High Street for the poor which was run by only women. This later became Elsie Maude Inglis Memorial Hospital. After a while of being part of the National Unions of Women’s Suffrage Society, she created the Scottish Women’s Suffragette Society in 1906. At the start of WWI in 1914, Elsie gave people the idea to create medical units run by only women to give aid to the Western front. After being rejected by the British War Office, The Red Cross and the Royal Army Medical Corps, Elsie still created the Scottish Women’s Hospital Committee. Since the French Government didn’t hate the idea, she then set up the Abbaye De Royamount Hospital by December 1914. In 1915 Elsie went with a women’s Medical unit to Serbia… When she returned to Britain in 1916, she began raising funds for a hospital in Russia. Later that year she went there to help with medical needs with Serbian troops. She continued to work there in 1917 but was forced to leave due to being quite ill herself. She then died a day after she arrived home on 26th November 1917. In the end, the Scottish Women’s Hospital Committee sent over 1000 nurses, doctors, orderlies and drivers to war zones all over Europe and sent help in many diverse countries. Elsie Maude Inglis inspires me because during her career she stayed true to what she believed and helped others which I think are the most important things everyone should do in life. WHAT HAS YOUR RESEARCH TAUGHT YOU ABOUT THE VALUE OF LIFE? All life is precious and can so easily be lost. Some people, like Edward Thomas, took the risk of losing their life in the war, even though they did not have to, and no-one would have expected them to. This shows qualities which one may aspire to, such as self-sacrifice, duty and loyalty. It has also brought home how some people who are now often forgotten could have done great things if their lives had not been cut short by war, such as Edward Thomas. He is commemorated in Westminster Abbey, but at least until recently Elsie Inglis’ grave in Edinburgh was forgotten, overgrown and faded. 28
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JESS HENDRY SCOTT HENDRY
“When you go home, tell them of us and say, for your tomorrow, we gave our today” – John Maxwell Edmonds Justice: War by C.S.M. Sidney Chaplin You stand in a trench of vile stinking mud And the bitter cold wind freezes your blood Then the guns open up and flame light the sky And as you watch rats go scuttling by The men in the dugouts are quiet for a time Trying to sleep midst the stench and the slime The moon is just showing from over the hill And the dead on the wire hang silent and still A sniper’s bullet wings close to your head As you wistfully think of a comfortable bed But now a dirty blanket has to suffice And more often than not it is crawling with lice Haig and his mob keep well in the rear Living in luxury safe in old St Omer Flashing red tabs brass and ribbons galore What the hell do they know about fighting a war?
Our favourite WW1 poem was by C.S.M. Sidney Chaplin and we find that in his poem his vivid descriptions make us feel like were there. He captures the horrors of the trenches in a thought provoking way, especially the line that says “You stand in a trench of vile stinking mud and the cold wind freezes your blood”. We love this poem. Sergeant Stubby Sergeant Stubby was none other than a short brindle bull terrier (in other words, a dog) but not just any dog, he was probably the bravest dog I’ve heard of, so my story is not about a person – it’s about Sergeant Stubby!
Sergeant Stubby was born in 1916 and he lived till 1926 – so he was 10 when he died. He was assigned the first day of the war and before that he was a stray that was found next to Yale University. On his first year he learned how to warn his unit about mustard gas attacks and he saved several people from mustard gas attacks a few days later. He also caught a German soldier by his pants and kept him there till the American soldiers came and found him. In 1926 Stubby unfortunately died and on his grave it truly shows that we will remember him. “Sergeant Stubby, Hero dog of WW1, A brave stray’ “I learned about World War I and the brave soldiers who were in it. I also learned a lot about my family’s thoughts, feelings and what this meant to them – we loved doing it!” - Jess Hendry “I found it very interesting to read and learn about people and animals involved in World War I, particularly the vast number of poems I’d previously never heard of. The sacrifice given by so many in such harrowing and difficult conditions is hard to comprehend. It has given us both new insight into the soldiers on the field and those left at home to carry on life was normal” – Scott Hendry
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RANIA DAR MUHAMMAD AZAM DAR
For the Fallen by Lawrence Binyon (1869-1943) They went with songs to the battle, they were young. Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow. They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted, They fell with their faces to the foe. They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them. They mingle not with their laughing comrades again; They sit no more at familiar tables of home; They have no lot in our labour of the day-time; They sleep beyond England’s foam.
Robert Collie Born in the late 19th century and referred to as the ‘man who refused to die’. This is the story about our inspiration from WW1. Robert Collie was a private during WW1, who survive the battle of Somme and Ypres after losing two brothers who died in action and a sister who died in a Zeppelin bomb raid in London. Even with his devastated state, he still kept fighting after the huge loss. He was considered one of ‘the lucky ones’, as he survived two great battles but the luck unfortunately didn’t remain. On the day of the Battle of Passchendaele, he was fighting when suddenly he was shot in the stomach by the enemy. Being so badly wounded and barely capable of moving, his friends assumed that he was dead and he was thrown into a pile of dead bodies. Fortunately for him, though, luck did eventually come his way. An Indian medic was passing by and saw Collie twitching. The medic immediately rushed over and healed his wounds, and, in just under a year, he had made a full recovery. Robert Collie miraculously survived WW1, and despite the losses he suffered and his misfortune during the war, he returned to serve in the Indian military. During all his years of service, he rose from the rank private to Major! Unfortunately, those weren’t the only losses he suffered. His first wife, Ida, died of tuberculosis in 1933 (15 years after the war). He then married his second wife Kathleen and lived a great life after that.
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WHAT HAS YOUR RESEARCH TAUGHT YOU ABOUT THE VALUE OF LIFE? Rania writes: my research has made me discover I’m lucky to be in a time where there is peace, and no wars. Also I’m blessed to live in the UK where there are endless resources, benefits and opportunities for me and my future. I’m very grateful that my parents have well paid jobs and I live in a nice house with many luxuries. But I wonder what it would have been like to be a child in the war, another reason I’m grateful is that I don’t have to get separated from my parents.
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LUKE SMITH AGNES SCOTT
William ‘Bill’ Stone 1900-2009 William ‘Bill’ Stone who died aged 108, joined the Royal Navy in 1918 and left in 1945, a career that made him one of the last British men to have served in both world wars and lived on into the 21st century. Born the 10th of 14 children in south Devon in 1900, Stone was prevented by his father, also called William, from joining the navy at the age of 15. Two of his brothers were already in the service and a third had joined the army. The young Bill had left his job as a farm boy and walked three miles into Kingsbridge to try to enlist, but his father refused to sign the necessary papers. Instead he joined up on his 18th birthday, just seven weeks before the armistice of November 1918 brought an end to four years of hostilities. On 27th May 1938 as war loomed he married Lily Hoskin, a friend of his sister. Lily soon became pregnant but a week before the baby was born his ship left for active service. Within weeks, war was declared – and Bill did not get to see daughter Anne until he was granted special leave three weeks after her birth. He served as a stocker aboard HMS Tiger and later moved onto the famous HMS Hood, the flagship of the British fleet, in the 1920s, Bill did not see action in the first conflict because he was training. After the war he went back to Devon and ran a barber’s shop; some years after his retirement he
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moved to the village of Watlington, in Oxfordshire. He looked remarkably fit in his last years, featured prominently in several commemorations of both wars and received a series of honours. Bill broke his hip in 2006, at the age of 106, which forced him to leave his home in Watlington, Oxon, and move into a nursing home. Daughter Anne Davidson said: ‘He was a tremendous character, a man of great faith and he would like to be remembered as a very happy person.’ Dennis Goodwin, secretary of the World War One Veterans’ Association, said Bill had endured an ongoing battle with chest problems. He added: “He was always a battler. I have known him for 14 or 15 years. He has survived many of his skirmishes and has shown tremendous fight.” Bill’s experiences left him in little doubt about the horrors of war. He once said: “War is terrible. I saw Plymouth flattened and at the end of the war I went to Germany and all their buildings were flattened too.” He told an interviewer: “I’ve had a wonderful life. I’ve worked hard, never stopped for a minute. And it’s kept me going all right.” Bill demonstrated that he was a confident, resilient and hardworking individual. I admire how Bill had the confidence to still go ahead with his dream of joining the army against other people’s views. I found Bill inspiring as he fought in both wars and was still alive to share memories which many of us don’t know about these days. I hope that one day I will have the confidence and enthusiasm to follow my ambitions and to be as hardworking at whatever I do.
AMELIA HOGG ISOBEL IRELAND
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Jack Cornwell VC Jack Cornwell was born on the 8th January 1900 in London. He joined the army in 1915 at the age of 15. Jack Cornwell died on the 2nd June 1916 in the Battle of Jutland, aged just 16. Jack was on a ship in the North Sea, near Denmark, working the cannon when him and his team were fired at by an enemy fleet. Jack was heavily wounded but refused medical attention and continued receiving orders up until the second he died. Jack received a Victoria Cross for his actions and remains the youngest to have received one in WW1. WHAT HAS YOUR RESEARCH TAUGHT YOU ABOUT THE VALUE OF LIFE? That there is a lot more to learn about the war than what people just think. The soldiers that were in the war spoke very little about the experiences but I think they should have spoken a little more because it helps us to understand. We should be thankful that we are alive because of all the soldiers that fought for us.
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FAYE SLOAN JOHN JOHNSTONE
Bill Stone Bill Stone who died at the age of 108 (16 years ago) was the last British man to have served in WWI and WW2. When he was 15 he volunteered at the Navy, but his father prevented him. Two weeks before Bill’s 18th birthday he received his call-up papers, so he got on his bike and cycled to Plymouth, where he joined the Royal Navy on 23rd September 1918. Bill started his training but soon caught a flu that was sweeping the world, which caused more deaths than the Great War itself. The treatment involved being marched into a room of 50 people at a time, which was fumigated with a mixture of steam and disinfectant, then a gargle of condy’s crystals. Bill recovered and after 3 months of training he became an ordinary seaman. But his brothers were both stokers and persuaded Bill to be a stoker too. His first ship was a three funneled tigger which he joined at Rosyth.
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KERR ANDERSON JACQUELINE SNOWDON
David Wilson Campbell In April 2016 my son and daughter in law took my husband and myself to France/Belgium to visit the grave of my grandfather David Wilson Campbell, a Gordon Highlander, who fell at the Battle of Somme in July 1916. His final resting place in the British War Graves Cemetery of Vermelles among row upon row of the fallen. There were many moving moments during the visit
• standing at grandad’s grave. Remembering his
sacrifice but also remembering granny, a special lady, had to struggle to bring up my mum and two uncles. • The visit to Passchendaele Memorial Museum and the opportunity to experience of what life was like in the trenches. • St Sympharien Military Cemetery. A sad but beautiful and peaceful setting where German and Allied soldiers lie together. For the first step towards reconciliation. • The Menin Gate Memorial, an unforgettable experience. Standing on the spot where countless soldiers marched through the gate to the battlefield. Thinking of Owen’s ‘Dulce et Decorum est’ and the patriotism that inspired them to fight only to be faced with the stark reality of the horrors of war and the appalling battlefield conditions. C E N T E N A R Y A W A R D S M A G A Z I N E 31
“It was lovely to see my son and mum spend time working together on something which meant so much to them both. In this busy life the poster is a good reminder taking time to stop and be thankful for all our family and friends.” – Ruth Anderson
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DOMINIC HOLDEN SHEILA BLACKLOCK
Magpies in Picardy by T.P Cameron Wilson The magpies in Picardy Are more than I can tell. They flicker down the dusty roads And cast a magic spell On the men who march through Picardy, Through Picardy to hell.
On the positive side I felt this is a wonderful Memorial for those who have no grave to visit. To be able to come here to see the name of their loved one inscribed on the gate.
(The blackbird flies with panic, The swallow goes with light, The finches move like ladies, The owl floats by at night; But the great and flashing magpie He flies as artists might.)
I will never forget the poignancy of the beautiful ‘Lost Post Ceremony’ and the commitment and dedication of the people of Ypres who meet every evening at 8 pm to acknowledge and pay respect to the self sacrifice of those who fell in defense of their town.
A magpie in Picardy Told me secret things— Of the music in white feathers, And the sunlight that sings And dances in deep shadows— He told me with his wings.
“I have really enjoyed doing this project with my Gran because since I went to secondary school haven’t seen as much of her, but this gave the opportunity to see her a lot more. It has also given me the opportunity to think about the devastation of the Great War and doing it with someone from another generation I looked at it from a different perspective and it helped me learn about the war a lot more, and I now realise how devastating it was. I’m very happy I did this project and I now look at war in a different way“ – Kerr Anderson “I really enjoyed this opportunity to work with my youngest grandson on this project. I feel it was very worthwhile. Too rarely do different generations sit down together to discuss values and feelings. This project created the setting to do just that. To make the space in our lives, to take time, to really listen and appreciate each other’s point of view.” – Jacqueline Snowdon
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(The hawk is cruel and rigid, He watches from a height; The rook is slow and sombre, The robin loves to fight; But the great and flashing magpie He flies as lovers might.) He told me that in Picardy, An age ago or more, While all his fathers still were eggs, These dusty highways bore Brown, singing soldiers marching out Through Picardy to war. He said that still through chaos Works on the ancient plan, And two things have altered not Since first the world began— The beauty of the wild green earth And the bravery of man. (For the sparrow flies unthinking And quarrels in his flight; The heron trails his legs behind, The lark goes out of sight; But the great and flashing magpie He flies as poets might.)
We picked this because it focuses on the magpie not on war. We also enjoyed it because two verses are metaphorical whereas the other three are about the situation the author found himself in, i.e. at war. The representation of the birds is good too. Pitouchi “Pitouchi” was born in the trench. His mother died when he was a kitten but he was adopted by LT Lekeux from the Belgium army. One day Lekeux was near the German lines he saw they were digging a new trench, so he hid in a hole and started sketching the new trench. He was so engrossed in his sketch that he didn’t notice the approaching German soldiers on patrol. When he finally saw them it was too late to run. He lay very still, hoping they wouldn’t see him. Unfortunately, he heard one of them say “He’s in the hole” so he knew he had been spotted. Then Pitouchi jumped out of the hole! The Germans shot at him twice but didn’t hit. They joked about the fact they’d mistaken a cat for a man and Lekeux got away! Pitouchi showed bravery and this story is inspiring because something so small saved a man’s life.
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KATIE NAIRN MADDY NAIRN
Alexander MacKenzie The person that inspires me is my great great grandad who fought in the First World War. He came from a place in Scotland called Beauly and was one of 11 children. Most of them moved to America to get a better life as they were very poor but he decided to join the army. He fought in WW1 and was part of the Royal Scots Greys, but when he was running away his kilt got caught on wire and he got shot quite badly but managed to survive. He got an award for bravery after that. Then he moved to London and learned how to make boots to try and make some more money. He died when he was in his nineties. He inspired me because if you work hard at something you can make it happen.
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KACEY STORY KEN MACRAE
“Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind” – John F. Kennedy Master Thomas S. Hewitt Thomas Hewitt is my great aunt’s father. He was in the navy during WW1. He had a ship named ‘The Empire Progress’. It was completed in March 1918 as a British Steam Tanker. Thomas was age 36 at this time and was the master of this ship. In 1921, the ship was re-named Anomia. In 1927 it was sold to Norway and named Andrea then in 1938 it was sold to Italy. 1940 it was sold to Newcastle and finally named Empire Progress. The homeport of this ship was London. On 13 April 1942, the Empire Progress was hit by the U-420. The ship sank in less than 8 minutes, near Nova Scotia, Canada. We picked this painting because it features poppies and a soldier. Poppies represent the number of soldiers who died in both world wars, which is very poignant.
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Painted by Richard Harpum
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EDEN JAMIESON JIMMY MACDONALD
Bus Wull This is a true story based on my great great grandpapa. He was known as Bus Wull as he drove buses but his real name was William Milligan and he was born in New Galloway, Scotland around 1880. Whilst in the Black Watch (WW1), he fought in many places, one of which was India, and during the Boer War which started in October 1899 and went on until May 1902. One night whilst on watch, he yawned at the same time a sniper shot his rifle and then the bullet went through one cheek and out the other and since he was yawning that saved his life! Then it was sewn up and he was left with 2 dimples for the rest of his life. Born in Scotland, shot in India but lived to tell the tale…
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TRISTAN PIET LIND WOOLLEY
“A soldier will fight long and hard for a possible bit of coloured ribbon” – Napoleon Bonaparte War horses Horses were heavily used in WW1, primarily as a form of transport. When the war broke out in 34
Western Europe in August 1914, both Britain and Germany had a cavalry force that each numbered about 100,000 men. Such a number of men would have needed a significant number of horses and probably all senior military personnel at this time believed in the supremacy of the cavalry attack. In August 1914, no-one could have contemplated the horrors of trench warfare – hence the reason why the cavalry regiments reigned supreme. In fact, in Great Britain the cavalry regiments would have been seen as the senior regiments in the British Army, along with the Guards Regiments, and very many senior army positions were held by cavalry officers. However, the cavalry charge seen near Mons was practically the last seen in the war. Trench warfare made such charges not only impractical but impossible. A cavalry charge was essentially from a bygone military era and machine guns, trench complexes and barbed wire made such charges all but impossible. However, some cavalry charges did occur despite the obvious reasons as to why they should not. In March 1918, the British launched a cavalry charge at the Germans. By the Spring of 1918, the war had become more fluid but despite this, out of 150 horses used in the charge only 4 survived. The rest were cut down by German machine gun fire. However, though a cavalry charge was no longer a viable military tactic, horses were still invaluable as a way of transporting materials to the front. Military vehicles, as with any mechanised vehicle at the time, were relatively new inventions and prone to problems. Horses, along with mules, were reliable forms of transport and compared to a lorry needed little upkeep. Such was the use of horses on the Western Front, that over 8 million died on all sides fighting in the war. All those who remained their life was put into the hands of the troops’ leading officer, who in despite of their hard work decided (in most cases) to dispose of the animals because it was cheaper than returning them home. They were given 3 options:
1. Herd them off a cliff 2. A single bullet 3. Starvation In all the treatment of horses and all other animals were horrible, inhumane and unjustified.
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LOIS CARLYLE JANET ROBISON
George Valentine Parriss George was sent to war at a young age to fight for Britain. He lived with his mum and dad, Ernest and Mary Parriss who had a shop called Shakespeare Stores in Welford-on-Avon. His mum and dad must have been extra worried because his brother William Grove was fighting in Egypt at the same time. George was my great, great, great uncle. He died in battle at Ypres and is buried in Tyne Cot Cemetery Passchendaele in Belgium. His grave number is IXES. George’s last letter the day before he was killed: 21/08/1917 My dear May Please excuse me for not writing before. I expect you have received a PC.
Great Great Grandfather) to say he is alright but is going up the line soon, it is very hot there now. The weather here is grand again and we hope it will keep so for 2 or 3 months. The summer will soon be gone and the winter will be coming in. I dread another one out here. But let’s look on the bright side. Chin up my dear and write me soon hoping you are in good health. With my love and best wishes. I am Yours Ever George xxxxxxxx Don’t say anything to mother what I have told you at the beginning of this letter “I have learned that modern technology like email and computers is not always the best. Personal and moving photos and letters be looked at and touched brought it home to us about his short life. I have passed a lot of these documents onto the Imperial War Museum so he will never be forgotten” – Janet Robison
Well May dear we have been in suspense all the week about going over the plank and which I suppose we do tonight. There is remarkably good work being done up this part especially by the tanks. I know it is not much good telling you as it is old news to you who get the papers daily. Well May I hope you are having a good holiday, perhaps you are making yourself familiar with the fruit if only with the taking of it. I can manage that job a treat. Mother has sent me a few pears and apples and we devoured them in no time as you may imagine. I must thank you for your nice long letter. How nice it will be when we see each other and then I can tell you some sticky experiences through which I have encountered. Well my dear I hope you will continue to pray for my safety – I have faith in prayer. God in his infinite mercy has led me safely up till now through many dangerous place and through such as you would think man could not exist. I often think of that verse in the 23rd Psalm (Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me). May God soon see fit to bring peace on earth again and war be no more. I received a letter from Grove (his brother and your C E N T E N A R Y A W A R D S M A G A Z I N E 35
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FINN PATTERSON MICHAEL PATTERSON
Captain Henderson On 23 April 1917 near Fontaine-les-Croiselles, France, during an attack on enemy trenches, Captain Henderson, although almost immediately wounded in the left arm, led his company through the front enemy line until he gained his final objective. He then proceeded to consolidate his position, which, owing to heavy gun and machine-gun fire and bombing attacks was in danger of becoming isolated. By his cheerful courage and coolness he was able to maintain the spirit of his men under most trying circumstances. Captain Henderson was killed after he had successfully accomplished his task. During the enemy attack he was bold, committed and confident which helped him achieve his objective. By being cheerful, friendly and patient he maintained the morale of his soldiers. I admire his loyalty and decisive nature by putting his soldiers before his own safety. I like his caring and positive attitude.
WHAT HAS YOUR RESEARCH TAUGHT YOU ABOUT THE VALUE OF LIFE? We have learned that the value of life should not be taken for granted. Too many young men and boys fought and died in WW1 to give us all a better future and we should always be grateful for this. Life is precious and we should always live it to the fullest. We should always be prepared to fight for what is right even if it means the ultimate sacrifice.
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TIA MUNGALL SAMANTHA MUNGALL
“Nothing but physical impossibility, lack of space and money would make me close my doors to allied refugees. “ “Someday, somehow, I’m going to do something useful, something for people. They are, most of them, so helpless, so hurt, so unhappy.” - Nurse Edith Cavell Nurse Edith Cavell Nurse Edith Cavell was a nurse who was working in Brussels, Belgium, when the war started. She aided British Servicemen to their safety with others helping. She helped them to escape and then was found out by the Germans. They executed her (the German Occupying Army). She said to them before she was executed ‘Patriotism is not enough’. Edith was born in Swardeston, near Norwich. She was brought up with a religious faith as her dad was a priest. He inspired her to help others. She was recruited to be the matron of a new nursing school in Brussels. She was inspiring because she was selfless, caring and committed: she helped others when she didn’t have to. I admire her because she helped people to survive and made sure they were safe.
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KATIE BOWRAN MARION LINWOOD
Jack the Airedale Terrier Jack the Airedale Terrier was a messenger and guard dog for his battalion during the first World War. One day when they were under attack and surrounded by the enemy, the men put a message in a pouch on Jack’s collar and sent him back to headquarters. On the way Jack was hurt when some shrapnel smashed his jaw and again when hit by a bullet but Jack kept going. He crawled back to headquarters and delivered the message and the men were saved. Sadly Jack died. He was awarded the animal Victoria Cross to recognize his bravery. Jack was loyal, resilient, reliable and selfless. Even when he was badly hurt, he kept on going and did his job.
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ROSE BYERS DOUGLAS BYERS
“If you’re going through hell, keep going” – Winston Churchill “Live for something rather than die for nothing” – General George S. Patton Grandpa Stevenson My great, great grandpa George Stevenson served in the First World War. He was my dad’s great grandpa and we all call him ‘Grandpa Stevenson’. George Stevenson was part of a regiment called the Seaforth Highlanders. My dad and my grandparents (on my dad’s side) always tell me stories of Grandpa Stevenson and his heroic time in the war. There was one story that really stood out at me though. When Grandpa Stevenson had been fighting in the war (my dad couldn’t remember where) he was asked by his regiment to deliver a message to the other British army on the other side of the battle. So, Grandpa Stevenson crept through the German territory and through to the other British Army. He was given warmth, food and drink but was instantly sent all the way back through the battle with a reply. He survived and lived on peacefully. His medals are displayed at a museum in Fort George.
“Retreat? –Hell, we just got here! “ – US Marine Captain Lloyd W. Williams “If the women in the factories stopped work for twenty minutes, the Allies would lose the war” – Marshall Joffre
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PHOEBE BRUCE WENDY BRUCE
“Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart” – Winnie the Pooh Elsie Knocker She was born on the 29th June 1884 in Exeter, Devon. Elsie’s name before she got married was Elizabeth Blackhall Sharper, the youngest of five children. Her mum died when she was four and her dad died two years later of tuberculosis. After training at the children’s hip hospital she got married to Leslie Duke Knocker in 1906, however he divorced her when she began training as a midwife at Queen Charlotte’s hospital. When the World War 1 was declared in 1914, Knocker wrote to her friend Mairi Chisholm that there was ‘work to be done’ and suggested they go to London to become dispatch riders for the Womens Emergency Corps. When Mairi was chosen to join Hector Munro’s Flying Ambulance
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Corps, she was able to convince Munro to accept Elsie as well as she had some training as a nurse and spoke both French and German. At the end of October, the corps relocated to Furnes in unoccupied Belgium, near Dunkirk, where the women worked tirelessly picking up wounded soldiers. In November, Elsie and Mairi decided to leave the corps and set up their own dressing station five miles east in a town named Pervyse, north of Ypres. Just 100 yards from the trenches. They were both engaged in lots of battles and both women were awarded the British Military Medal. Elsie died on the 26th of April 1978 age 93.
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STEVEN RAE COLIN RAE
“Why fit in when you were born to stand out” – Dr. Suess “Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud” – Maya Angelou “Our prime purpose in this life is to help others, and if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.” “There are only two days in the year that nothing can be done. One is called yesterday and the other is called tomorrow. Today is the right day to love, believe, do and mostly live.” - The Dalai Lama Edith Cavell Edith Cavell worked as a nurse in German occupied Belgium during World War I. At the beginning of the war she accepted the matron’s position in Belgium’s first training hospital and school for nurses. When she was arrested in 1915 helping Allied servicemen to escape, her only defence was that she had felt she must help people in need. Her execution caused outrage in Britain and in many neutral countries such as the US. She became a symbol of the Allied cause, and her memory lived on in recruitment posters and messages in Britain and around the world. After the war, her body was exhumed and brought back to Britain. A memorial service was held at Westminster Abbey and she was reburied in Norwich Cathedral.
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“Taking part in this project has been enjoyable and reinforced my appreciation of how good life is today compared to life around the time of World War I. It has been interesting to discuss inspiring people and how they have contributed to the world we live in today. It has inspired me to live life to the full and enjoy the luxury of living in 2018 instead of the hardship people faced in 1918” - Colin Rae
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IANTHE SLAVIN CATHERINE BELL
Suicide in the Trenches by Siegfried Sassoon I knew a simply soldier boy Who grinned at life in empty joy, Slept soundly through the lonesome dark, And whistled early with the lark. In winter trenches, cowed and glum, With crumps and lice and lack of rum, He put a bullet through his brain. No one spoke of him again. You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye Who cheer when soldier lads march by, Sneak home and pray you’ll never know The hell where youth and laughter go.
I was reading some poems and this one really stood out to me. It is a very sad poem about a boy who was always smiling and always whistling even though he wasn’t happy. It says that all the people who cheer because they are fighting for their country don’t know how bad it is, especially the young boys. These quotes are from a poet named Siegfried Sassoon who served as a British Captain in ‘the Great War’. ‘I believe that the war is being deliberately prolonged by those who have the power to end it. I believe that this war, upon which I entered as a war of defense and liberation, has now become a war of aggression and unquest.’ – S. Sassoon in “The Times”, 30 July 1917 “In war-time the word patriotism means suppression of truth” – S. Sassoon in ‘Memoirs of an Infantry Officer’.
I chose the second quote because it tells you that yes, patriotism can mean standing up for your country and fighting in the war, but it can also mean that you are hiding the pain and trauma that comes with it. Soldiers and families were not properly told what they were fighting for or how long it would last. Mary Barbour Mary Barbour was born as Mary Rough on February 20th 1875 in Kilbarchan, Scotland. She is most well-known as a political activist who lead the South Govan Women’s Housing Association who were committed to protesting against increasing rent and stopping evictions. They became known as ‘Mrs. Barbour’s Army’. I think Mary Barbour was inspiring because she was purposeful, persistent and bold. She also fought for the rights of people who were being taken advantage of by landlords who were increasing rents. Property owners thought the women would not fight back but they were wrong. The result was the Glasgow Rent Strikes of 1915. She later became a Labour Counsellor and from 1924-1927, Glasgow Corporation’s first woman Baillie. She was also one of Glasgow’s first women’s magistrates. Her dedication is still celebrated. The Kilbarchan Cairn was unveiled in 2015. It’s plaque reads: ‘Champion of the People and Social Reformer’. A statue to honour Mary was unveiled in Govan on November 17th 2017. The chairwoman of the ‘Remember Mary Barbour Association’ said: ‘We hope the legacy of the statue will re-connect the people of Govan with the tremendous social history and heritage and be a beacon of inspiration for women everywhere’. WHAT HAS YOUR RESEARCH TAUGHT YOU ABOUT THE VALUE OF LIFE?
I like the first quote because it tells you that people joined the war to stand up for their country and defend it but they later entered a whole other war, one about anger, winning and ruling the other countries. I also think it was quite brave of Sassoon to make a public stand about his feelings towards the war in a well-known newspaper.
(Maysan writes) I realised that you shouldn’t waste your time – life is precious. There were boys who died before they were even in their twenties! Even if you are very healthy and probably won’t die young, don’t waste your life. Do what these boys couldn’t. They died young and wanted to life a better life so if you have a longer life, use it.
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(Catherine writes) It has taught me that life was not valued highly enough. That lives of young people were lost for a cause that had little to do with their lives. That the value of life can be very little to some, but so so much to a mother/father/sister/brother. “I very much enjoyed taking part in this, especially as it meant I spent so much time talking with my daughter, telling the things I knew and researching material new to us both. We both find information and people involved in the First World War that we knew nothing about previously. I read many things that I knew was a child, and had forgotten – this was a great reminder “- Catherine Bell
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RACHEL MURRAY ANGELA MURRAY
A little girl’s gift or chocolate posted to the trenches led to a lasting correspondence with a lonely soldier. When six-year-old Joan Burbidge sent some of her chocolate to the Western Front she had no thoughts beyond wanting to give cheer to the soldiers who might receive it. The packaging was found by Edwin Hassall who wrote to thank ‘Little Joan’ and an enduring friendship was formed between the soldier and Joan’s family. Joan’s father would read the soldier’s letter aloud to the family at their home in Wadebridge Cornwall.
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RACHEL ANNE JAMES EWEN
The Christmas Truce The Christmas Truce happened on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 1914. Soldiers in either trench could hear each other singing carols and sang together. Then a few men from both sides risked their lives and stood up onto No Man’s Land to meet the enemy. They shook hands, shared their rations, souvenirs like, photos and buttons. People believe that there was a friendly game of football but it’s not true, although they might have had a small kick-about. Also during the Truce the soldiers could collect their wounded, injured or dead. We were inspired by this story because it showed that, individually, the soldiers didn’t want to fight and they shared a lot in common with each other. (Ianthe writes) To be honest I didn’t know anything about WW1 but I took it upon myself to go to my history teacher and ask for help. She gave me a book to read and made me realise that a single act of action can impact the life of millions. It made me realise that everything you say and do can impact the life of something else.
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PAT CHRISTIE ELISE RENDALL
Margaret Thomson Margaret Thomson is Elise’s great great great grandmother. She lost two of her six sons. The oldest of the two boys was Lawrence. He was 29 when the ship he was serving on was torpedoed off the Shetland Islands. The second son was Robert, who had emigrated to Australia but enlisted to fight in the Australian Light Infantry, 3rd Battalion.
He died from wounds in July 1916 aged 26. In order to cope with her loss, the family had a brooch made with one son on the front and the other on the back. The brooch could rotate so that Margaret could adjust it on important days like birthdays.
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JAMES INKSTER SONIA INKSTER
Able-bodied Seaman Magnus Nicolson It was a remarkable story and heroic deed that Magnus did and a story that needs to be told. Magnus was born on the croft that James now lives on, so there is a strong connection between him and his great-great-grandfather following this research for the project. The poem we chose reflect a lot of Magnus’ tenacity and helped shape him into the man he was. If - a father’s advice to his son by Rudyard Kipling If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch, If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, If all men count with you, but none too much; If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run, Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!
On May 1st 1917, the ship that my great great grandfather was serving on was hit by a German torpedo from the air, and immediately began to sink. Magnus was in charge of a gun on the stern of the ship and as the ship went down at the bow the gun was elevated, and just as the German plane came around again Magnus fired and shot the plane down. He was the only one to stay on board the ship and was rescued by two Norwegians on a life raft. He could not swim, but was very courageous and resourceful. He had done something the Admiralty thought was impossible, taking a huge risk that worked, for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal.
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AIMEE WILLIAMS CHRISTIAN TAIT
Francis Halcrow Scott We have chosen Francis Halcrow Scott, known as Frankie, as our inspirational figure. He was my grand uncle and Aimee’s great great great grand uncle. He was born in Lerwick in 1892 and was part of a large family. When he left school he trained as a pharmacist and took his preliminary exams. He moved to Edinburgh and as a keen footballer became a Hearts supporter and joined up following a call for volunteers. He went to France with his footballing heroes, Macrae’s Battalion, The 16th Royal Scots. In France, Frankie wrote regularly to my grandfather telling him about the conditions – heat, cold, lice, rats and poor food – and the duties they carried out. He was matter-of-fact, and never complained. “It’s all in a lifetime, and were jolly lucky to be here at all.” The great push of July 1, 1916 was the worst thing he went through. Frankie was killed in the preparations for the Battle of Arras while on a work party. Word did not reach home for over a month, as all the officers had been killed. He is buried at St Catherine’s and remember on the Hawick War Memorial along with his two brothers. Here is his letter of July 1, 1916: At 7:30 AM the order came to ‘get over’. We were at a part of the line where the trenches were about 500 yards apart so we had a good bit of ground to cover before reaching the
He lived on the croft where I stay, and I wonder what sort of things he would do aged 11. He probably had to look after the sheep and grow vegetables. He might defeat the ends and gather in the eggs like I do.
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enemy’s front line and it was in no man’s land that we had most of our casualties. It was a pure hell, crossing that ground, owing to their machine guns and hellfire. It was awful seeing all your chums go under without being able to do anything for them. Our platoon seemed to catch it extra hot, for over 40 of us who went over, only six came back unhurt. Heaven only knows how I managed to come through but I had some narrow shaves. There are five different shots through different parts of my equipment, and I had a shot that just grazed my neck but did not break the skin, so I have a lot to be thankful for. Extract from a letter written by Frankie’s brotherin-law: Another virtue of Frank’s is that he possesses modesty to a great degree, so characteristic of all his family, and one can depend on his yarns being unvarnished and uncoloured, and if anything underdone. I might tell you one incident that occurred on July 1. He and six others, after the objectives had been reached, following the advance, had some prisoners to dispose of. The sergeant in charge told him to take the prisoners back to the base. He set out and on the way down found another batch going down in charge of another non-com. He therefore handed his lot over to this chap and went back to join his party. When he got there, they weren’t to be found, and not one has been seen or heard of since. There is nothing but surmise about their fate, but Frank’s luck was in that day and he was well out of it. We chose this picture because it helped us imagine what it was like for Frankie to go over the top. It made us wonder what he was thinking and how he was feeling. And it made us wonder how many of the men would come back. We thought they were very brave as they did not know what was the other side of the parapet and had to go just the same. WHAT HAS YOUR RESEARCH TAUGHT YOU ABOUT THE VALUE OF LIFE? Life is the greatest gift, and we should value it, and not waste it. We should set worthwhile goals and try to achieve them. Our behavior should not cause other people sadness or suffering but should make other people happy. Friends and family are very important – they are a kind of team, and it is through them that we first learn our 42
values. Then it should be extended. Mankind is our team. The loss of young lives during the war was a true tragedy. All these young men might have gone on to do great things to improve the world. Nothing is more important than life and how we live it. WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR A PEACEFUL WORLD? We both believe that education is fundamental. By this we mean knowledge of the effects of war in the past, and a genuine worldwide desire to avoid it. We should promote a desire for understanding and fairness, and a willingness to solve difficulties through negotiation or other peaceful methods. Threats and fear are not the answer. All nations must educate their young to ‘give peace a chance’ And to vote wisely when selecting those who have the power over the nuclear button. Virtues and values are the key. “This project has confirmed my anti-war beliefs. So much depends on politicians and decisionmakers. We’ve seen how the disaster that was the Somme was largely due to their incompetence (poor planning, faulty equipment, ignorance and lack of caring about individual lives). Working with Aimee has reassured me that her generation is being taught the importance of virtues and values and can be trusted to try to have good people at the top” – Christian Tait
WORLD WAR I FINALISTS & WINNERS
LUCY MACFADYEN TURNBULL HIGH SCHOOL
This is a war to end all wars – Woodrow Wilson, US President We had suddenly learned to see. And we saw that there was nothing of their world left. We were all at once terribly alone; and alone we must see through. – Erich Maria Remarque Robert Downie Robert joined the Irish regiment of the British Army in 1912 when he was 18. When war broke out, Downie was sent to France with his regiment and saw heavy fighting from the start of the campaign on the Western Front. He had already suffered a gas attack and had been awarded the Military Medal when he showed the outstanding courage that earned him the VC on 23 October, 1916, the 115th day of the First Battle of Somme. Hours of hand-to-hand fighting for the strategically important position had left the Irish troops exhausted and severely depleted: 5 officers and 124 men wounded and 36 missing. The fusiliers went over the top at 2.30 pm, but hundreds were cut down at close range. Survivors crawled back through the mud to their dug-outs. Orders were given to take no German prisoners and bayonets were fixed. Again and again, the Germans defended their line. One officer described them as ‘beasts at bay’ counterattacking and pinning the Dublin Fusiliers into hastily dug mud-filled trenches. With the last officer dead, Downie took command. He rushed forward alone, issuing his battle cry. Inspired, the exhausted men joined the charged Downie, killed several Germans and took the machine gun, killing the team which had inflicted so much suffering on his comrades. Alongside the wounded and missing, the gun pits crew had claimed the life of 3 officers and 14 men. Downie was wounded, but
the gun position was finally taken. It was a day so bloody that Downie never spoke of it to anyone again, not even to his own family. A professional soldier, Downie had once joked with friends about bringing home the VC. After he was awarded the honour, he told press: “Every man in the regiment won the VC that day”.
MAIRI JOHNSTON
TURNBULL HIGH SCHOOL Speech Good afternoon. My name is Mairi Johnston. Today I would like to talk to you about 4 personal qualities which I believe are important for having a life full of purpose and fulfilment. I have been finding out more about how these qualities were shown during the First World War. My hope is that this short speech will help to inspire each of you to think more about what personal qualities you would like to have. Resilience The quality I would like to talk about is resilience. To have resilience is to recover after a setback or to keep on trying in the face of difficulties. Many people think resilience as bouncing back or C E N T E N A R Y A W A R D S M A G A Z I N E 43
picking yourself up again. Many men and women during the First World War showed this quality. Men were fighting in terrible conditions with little food and were living in disease-filled trenches but kept on going. Many women worked as nurses at the front and had to witness terrible injuries and scenes of suffering but still did their best to save many lives. Courage Another important quality is courage. During the was everyone had to have courage, whether they were fighting, or waiting at home for loved ones to return. To show courage is to overcome pain, fear, uncertainty and danger by taking action. People had to overcome their fear during the First World War, some making the ultimate sacrifice. Someone who showed courage was Lance Corporal William Angus. He voluntarily left his trench to rescue a wounded officer who was within a few yards of the enemy’s position. He travelled 64 metres into No Man’s Land under heavy fire and received 40 wounds. For his courage he received the Victoria Cross. Resourcefulness Resourcefulness is a third important quality. Having resourcefulness is being able to find quick and constructive solutions to overcome challenges. I think that resourcefulness is important because we face many challenges in our daily lives. During a time of war, you have to be resourceful to survive, protect yourself and protect others. Selflessness Finally, I would like to talk about selflessness. To be selfless means putting others before yourself. I think that many people today do not show this quality enough because they are too concerned with themselves and do not pay attention to what is going on around them. During the First World War there would have been many acts of selflessness in dangerous conditions. To conclude, the qualities of resilience, courage, resourcefulness and selflessness have inspired me to think what kind of life I would like to lead. What qualities would make a difference to your life?
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William Angus VC William was born at Polkemmet Rows, Cappers, Armadale. When he left school he became a miner, however he managed to gain a place at Carluke FC before moving to Celtic FC. He was captaining Wishaw Thistle when war was declared. As he was a member of Local Territorial battalion of the Highland Light Infantry, he was sent to fight immediately. In 1915 his company was transferred to 8th Royal Scots as they had suffered many casualties. On the 12th of June 1915, at Givenchy-les-la-Bassee, France, Lance-Corporal Angus voluntarily left his trench to rescue the wounded lieutenant James Martin, who was lying within yards of enemy lines. Angus travelled 64 metres through No Man’s land under heavy bomb and rifle fire. He received around 40 wounds, 13 serious. He was awarded the Victoria Cross on the 30th August 1915. King George V commented on his many wounds, Angus was said to have answered: “Aye Sir, but only 13 were serious!”. I decided to write about William Angus because I admire him and hope to have his bravery, determination, modesty and purpose. ‘Success is not final, failure isn’t fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.’ – Winston Churchill ‘The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential… there are the keys that will unlock the doors to personal excellence.’ – Confucius Harry Patch I chose Harry Patch because I thought he was an interesting man and I enjoyed researching his story. Harry Patch was a British soldier who fought in WW1. He is also known as ‘The Last Tommy’, which is also a documentary Harry starred in. Harry began his training in 1917 and he was later recruited for the ‘Duke of Cornwall’s light infantry as a Lewis Gunner
assistant. On the 22nd September a tragedy happened. A light shell known as a ‘Whizz bang’ exploded above Harry’s head, killing his 3 friends. Harry was pierced in the lower abdomen but he managed to survive. Harry was awarded the ‘Legion d’Honneur’ by the French Government. At the age of 105 he revisited the battle field he fought on. At age 111 he died and over 1,000 people attended his funeral.
EMILY WINN
MOUNT VERNON PRIMARY SCHOOL Flora Sandes (1876-1956) Flora Sandes was the only British woman officially to serve as a soldier in the trenches during WW1. She was initially a St John’s Ambulance volunteer and went to Serbia. But during that she got separated from her colleagues and she enrolled in the Serbian Army alongside with the men. She was around 40 when she joined and quickly became Corporal but in 1916 she got seriously wounded by a grenade. She received the highest decoration of the Serbian Military, the Order of the Karadordes Star. She was also promoted to the rank of Sergeant Major.
REBECCA ROSE COCHRANE CONNOLLY
no hatred or bitterness towards anyone. She knew this was very dangerous but she was confident and hard-working. She is a very caring woman but unfortunately she was executed for being a ‘traitor’ in Germany. Recently it was her one hundredth anniversary which is amazing. This means she will hopefully be remembered through history.
MOUNT VERNON PRIMARY SCHOOL ‘I can’t stop when there are lives to be saved!’ – Edith Cavell Edith Cavell (1865-1915) I think this quote is very inspiring because she’s saying that she won’t stop. She will try to save every life she can. She saying that she won’t quit! Edith Cavell was a British nurse during WW1. She is famous for saving soldiers from both sides and this cost her her life. She also helped 200 allied soldiers escape from German occupied Belgium. She made lots of inspiring quotes. She is inspiring to me because she helped people no matter where they came from. Everyone who fought was just a normal person but they were born in different countries and maybe had different views. Edith Cavell didn’t care, she was a very smart woman and very interesting. She showed
PHOEBE DUFF
MOUNT VERNON PRIMARY SCHOOL ‘All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence you know.’ – Ernest Hemingway I chose this because it reminded me of the WW1 notes that the soldiers gave their families. Frank de Pass Frank de Pass, also known as Lieutenant de Pass won the Victoria Cross for his actions on the 24th of November 1914 near Festubert, France. Lieutenant de Pass entered a German sap and destroyed a traverse in the face of the enemy’s bombs. Subsequently he rescued, under heavy fire, a wounded man who was lying exposed to enemy bullets in the open. The lieutenant sadly C E N T E N A R Y A W A R D S M A G A Z I N E 45
lost his life attempting to capture the sap (a second time), which the enemy had reoccupied. I chose this inspiring person to write about because he was the first person of the Jewish faith and the first officer of the Indian army to receive the Victorian Cross during WW1, he is a real inspiration for his acts of kindness throughout the War.
NICOLE FERGUSON
GRACEMOUNT HIGH SCHOOL In the Munitions Factory Earning high wages? Yus, Five quid a week. A woman, too, mind you, I calls it dim sweet Ye’are asking some Questions
Elsie Maude Inglis Elsie was the founder of the Scottish Women’s Hospitals. She was also known as ‘the lady with the torch’. In Edinburgh, in 1894, Elsie Maude Inglis set up a medical practice with Jessie MacGregor. It was for poor women. Elsie Inglis went to the Royal Army Medical Corps and she had a medical unit full of qualified women. She offered this to them but was turned away with saying, ‘My good lady, go home and sit still’. She responded by going to the French with her offer, which they took up and she established a team in Serbin. By her improving hygiene in her unit she had reduced typhus and other epidemics there. I chose this painting and it shows the brutalities of war and what remains of not only the soldiers but what happens to the civilians.
But bless her, here goes: I spends the whole racket On good times and clothes Me saving? Elijah! Yer do think I’m mad. I’m acting the lady. But – I ain’t living bad. We’re all here today, mate, Tomorrow, perhaps dead, If Fate tumbles on us And blows up our shed. Afraid! Are you kidding? With money to spend! Years back I wore tatters. Now, silk stockings, mi friend! I’ve bracelets and jewellery, Rings envied by friends, A sergeant to swank with, And something to lend. I drive out in taxis, Do theatres in style. And this is mi verdict – It is jolly worth while.
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Worth while, for tomorrow, If I’m blown to the sky, I’ll have repaid mi wages in deathAnd pass by.
EILIDH EDWARDS
I enjoy this poem because it’s talking about the women who worked in the munitions factory which is something not often talked about. Some women died making the munitions for the soldiers.
I hate this game. But it is the only thing one must do just now. Won’t it be lovely when all this beastly killing is over and we can just enjoy ourselves and not hurt anyone? – Albert Ball VC
PITLOCHRY HIGH SCHOOL
Freddie Maurice Felix West VC Freddie was the first Victoria Cross winner of the newly formed RAF in August 1918. His story is inspiring to me because of his courage and resilience. Freddie was flying an aircraft when he came under attack from German Fighter aircrafts. He got shot in both legs and was gushing with blood. Even though Freddie was in severe pain, he managed to make a tourniquet out of his trouser leg and counter attack. Upon landing of his aircraft he insisted on ‘filing a report’, before he went away to have his leg amputated. He showed a colossal amount of bravery and stayed very calm under a difficult situation and this is why I chose to write about him.
MIKA KONISHI GAFFNEY BROUGHTON HIGH SCHOOL
Edith Cavell Cavell was a British nurse in the first World War. She helped around 200 soldiers escape from Belgium (which was then occupied by Germany), and saved many lives of other soldiers from both sides of the war. I think that’s amazing, as she did it without discriminating. She knew it was against the law and dangerous, but she did it anyway. It is very brave, and I hope I’ll be like that some day. A famous thing she said was: “Patriotism is not enough. I must have no hatred or bitterness towards anyone” The second sentence can be applied to everyone I think, not just nurses in the war. Everyone needs to learn how to love and care for everybody outside their circle of friends and family. At 49, Cavell was accused of treason and found guilty. In late August 1915, she was shot dead by a German firing squad. There had been international pressure for forgiveness, so there was lots of worldwide outrage, and pressed charges.
shows the amount of blood there was. In the picture it also has two doctors tending to wounds. I realised how generous and selfless they were to give up their time to help others. Very admirable. HOW HAS YOUR RESEARCH MADE YOU MORE GRATEFUL TO BE ALIVE? My research has made me more grateful to be alive, as I didn’t realise how horrible some of the things people had to do during war, were. In 2018, I can go to school without having to practise bomb drills, get given gas masks, ration my food intake, or live in fear. I can live every day knowing I’m more likely to go to bed tonight (a safe and warm one too!) than I would 100 years ago. I barely have any hardships.
Photo/painting: The Doctor by CRW Nevinson I really like this painting, as it represents all the pain and hardships the men fighting in the war had to go through. The use of red throughout C E N T E N A R Y A W A R D S M A G A Z I N E 47
BETHANY MACDONALD BROUGHTON HIGH SCHOOL
To children ardent for some desperate glory, The old lie: Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori. - Wilfred Owen in his poem ‘Dulce et decorum est’ I find this quote inspiring as it goes against the old myth that so many believe and says that ‘It is not sweet and glorious to die for your country’. Many people believed that it was and joined the army not knowing the true horrors they had signed up for. Doctor Elsie Inglis Elsie Inglis was born on the 16th of August, 1864 in Naini Tal, India. She was lucky as her parents considered the education of girls just as important as boys. Thanks to this belief she went on to qualify as a doctor in 1892. After graduating she went on to found a medical practice for women and worked to improve the treatments for female patients in Edinburgh.
HOW HAS YOUR RESEARCH MADE YOU MORE GRATEFUL TO BE ALIVE? My research has shown me just how different my life is to that of someone in WWI. I am lucky to be alive because I can eat what I want and afford food. In the 1910’s, food was scarce and cost a lot of money, and war made this situation even worse. I have access to free healthcare, which didn’t exist at the time of WWI - the NHS started in 1948. In those days if you couldn’t pay for the doctor then you didn’t get any treatment. I have the freedom of speech and I do not live in a place where I am discriminated against for being me. Many people were not accepted in society in those days. When I get older I can vote in elections. During WWI women couldn’t vote. It was only in 1918 when some women were given the vote and it took a long time to get to where we are now. Finally, I have a loving family and great friends who all care for me.
Though she has many other achievements, it was her efforts in WWI that brought her fame. She played a key role in setting up the Scottish Women’s Hospitals for Foreign Service. There hospitals were relief hospitals that would be run by an all-female staff for the allied war effort. When she approached the Royal Army Medical Corps, they turned her down and told her to “go home and sit still”. Instead, the French Government took up her offer and helped her establish hospitals in France and Serbia. One hospital grew to hold over 600 beds as it coped with the injuries caused in battles including that on the Somme. Elsie Inglis went with the teams of doctors and nurses to Serbia. There she worked hard in improving hygiene and helped to reduce typhus and other epidemics. In 1915 she was captured. Upon returning home she began organising funds for a Scottish Women’s Hospital team in Russia. When the team left for Odessa, Russia in 1916, Elsie went with them. However, she was forced to return to the UK one year later due to cancer. Elsie Inglis died on the 26th November 1917, the day she arrived back in the UK.
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LAUREN YOUNG ISLAY HIGH SCHOOL ‘The War to end all Wars’ by Stanley Cooper “The war to end all wars” they said And were naively believed By those who now are honorably dead Never knowing they were deceived
Wars are peddled with promised glory With patriotic fervour, wars are sold To those who die in warring gory Without their right of growing old For future generations, I’ve great concern They needn’t set their world ablaze For their survival they must discern The peaceful road to better days
It reminds me of all the people who died fighting for us. They were all promised glory but deceived. They were young boys our age on the battlefield, not knowing if they would survive another minute. They risked their lives so that we could live in peace and that’s why I like this poem as it shows how grateful we should be to our soldiers. Elsie Maud Inglis I find her inspiring because she was determined to set up a hospital and help the soldiers. Even though she was told ‘no’, she still found a way. She also inspires me because she only stopped helping when she was forced too, not when she got bored or tired. She lived the best life she could. ‘Focus on the most important things rather than focus on the little things.’ ‘Sometimes we need to lose small battles in order to win the war.’
What candles may be held to speed them all? Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes. The pallor of girls’ brows shall be their pall; Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds, And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.
I think this poem is about the horrible things that happens in the war like the guns. I chose this poem because I like the way it describes what happened. My favourite part of the poem is ‘only the monstrous anger of the guns’. I think this is talking about the noise of the guns. I find it upsetting. ‘My subject is war, and the pity of war. They poetry is in the pity’ ‘Red lips are not so red as the stone kissed by the English Dead’ ‘All a poet can do is warn’ ‘If I have got to be a soldier, I must be a good one, anything else is unthinkable’. - Wilfred Owen Wilfred Owen Wilfred Owen’s poems were about war. He was an English poet and soldier. He was born on the 18th of March. He returned to Britain in 1917 from Shell Shock and died on 4 November 1918, just before the Armistice. He is inspirational because he wrote poems about the war. He inspires me to write
‘Sometimes you need to get over little challenges to fight the bigger ones.’ This all says that sometimes we need to let go of small arguments in order to succeed and get the bigger picture.
ELLIE MACKIE
ISLAY HIGH SCHOOL Anthem for Doomed Youth by Wilfred Owen What passing-bells for these who die as cattle? Only the monstrous anger of the guns. Only the stuttering rifles’ rapid rattle Can patter out their hasty orisons. No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells; Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs,— The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells; And bugles calling for them from sad shires.
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poems and talk about what the war was like. Only 5 of his poems were published when he was alive. Famous poems: ‘Dulce et Decorum est’, ‘Anthem for Doomed Youth’, ‘Disabled’, ‘Insensibility’, ‘Mental Cases’. I chose this photo (Anthem for Doomed Youth – Wilfred Owen), because I like this poem and the photo shows people in war and smoke to show how bad it was. The people are walking. It gives me an idea of what it was like.
ZAREENA ALI
WILLIAMSTON PRIMARY SCHOOL Dr Noel Chavasse, VC and bar The inspiring person I chose was Noel Chavasse. He was born in Oxford, England. He was a doctor in WW1 he was also an Olympic Champion along with his brother Christopher Chavasse. During his time in was Noel was always putting people before himself, he always thought about other people and helped wounded soldiers. Noel was committed and would do whatever it took to save the wounded soldiers. He was one of only three men to be awarded two Victoria Crosses and the only one in WW1. He was selfless
and tried to help as many people as possible. He frequently got injured. Noel died of wounds in September 1917 at the age of 32. He was a very honourable man and lots of people were very sad when he died. I would like to be brave like Noel Chavasse and help people like he did. He inspires me because he saved so many peoples’ lives. Noel Chavasse was courageous, brave, athletic, selfless, heroic, committed and fearless. He was a doctor in WW1 and a soldier. I would like to be as fearless and brave as him. The citation for his second VC stated: “Though severely wounded early in the action whilst carrying a wounded soldier to the dressing station, he refused to leave his post, and for two days not only continued to perform his duties but went out repeatedly under enemy fire to search for and attend to the wounded who were lying out. During these searches, although practically without food, he assisted to carry a number of badly wounded men over heavy and difficult ground. By his extraordinary energy and inspiring example he was instrumental in rescuing many who would have otherwise undoubtedly succumbed under the bad weather conditions.
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MADDISON TODD
MOUNT VERNON PRIMARY SCHOOL War is organised murder and nothing else. I felt it then as I feel it now that politicians who took us to war should have been given guns and told to settle their differences themselves instead of organising nothing better than legalised mass murder – Harry Patch Harry Patch I chose Harry Patch because I thought he was an interesting man and I enjoyed researching his story. He was a British soldier who fought in World War I and is also known as ‘the last Tommy’ in a documentary. He began his training in 1917 and was later recruited for the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry as a Lewis Gunner assistant. On September 22 tragedy happened when a light shell known as a whizz bang exploded above Harry’s head and killing his three friends. Harry was pierced in the lower abdomen and managed to survive. He now has his own Remembrance Day on September 22 dedicated to his friends. He was awarded the Legion d’Honneur by the French government and at the age of 105 he revisited the battlefield he had fought on. He died aged 111 and his funeral was attended by over 1,000 people.
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EDUCATION SCOTLAND UNLOCKING POTENTIAL - INSPIRING PURPOSE
“This has been an excellent programme and has had significant impact on each ‘team’. It has brought families together, built confidence in both young and old, identified amazing stories of inspirational family members and strengthened bonds between family members. It has been touching to hear the respect and admiration partners have developed for each other through their exploration of virtues and values.” - Denise Nicolson
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