More details have been announced of events in Brussels and London marking the centenary of Edith Cavell’s execution.
Princess Anne from the UK will join Belgium’s Princess Astrid for a ceremony honouring the British-born nurse at the Belgian Senate.
The Princess Royal, accompanied by her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, will be visiting Belgium for two days of centenary tributes on October 11/12th 2015.
The Belgian Senate chamber was where Edith Cavell and 34 other members of the Belgian resistance were tried by the German occupying authorities 100 years ago for helping Allied soldiers escape.
The British nurse was among several sentenced to death. She was executed by a firing squad at dawn on October 12th 1915.
A contemporary bust of Edith Cavell, designed by the Belgian sculptress, Natalie Lambert, will be unveiled by Princess Astrid and the Princess Royal. It’ll be located in Parc Montjoie, close to the Edith Cavell Hospital in the Brussels suburb of Uccle.
In London, there’ll be a wreath laying ceremony at Edith Cavell’s memorial near Trafalgar Square at 10.30am on Monday October 12th.
Nurses from the Royal London Hospital and members of the armed forces will be taking part in the event at St Martin’s Place. More details from the Cavell Nurses Trust.
The nearby church of St Martin-in-the-Fields is hosting an exhibition and programme of live events, organised by Unity Arts, exploring Edith Cavell’s legacy. Further information here.
Also in Centenary News:
*Edith Cavell remembered at Norwich Cathedral, where the Norfolk-born nurse was reburied in 1919.
*Events in Belgium organised by the Belgian Edith Cavell Commemoration Group.
*Read more about Edith Cavell’s life and work here.
Sources: Visitflanders; Buckingham Palace; BECCG, Norwich Cathedral; St Martin-in-the Fields
Images courtesy of Imperial War Museums (© IWM Q 32930)
Posted by Peter Alhadeff, Centenary News