Centenary News in Brief this week includes: The Duchess of Cornwall supports protection of war graves; First World War veterans of the Guinea campaign have been honoured in Sydney; a music based Centenary project launches in the UK; and the most senior nurse on the Western Front is honoured.
Duchess of Cornwall
The Duchess of Cornwall, Patron of the War Memorial’s Trust, has continued to support the organisation as it prepares for the Centenary period.
Metal theft remains one of the top concerns for the Trust, as its value soared during the economic downturn and demand from the developing world saw attacks on memorials increase.
Guinea
A small parade has been held in Sydney, Australia, attended by descendants of those who fought to wrest German New Guinea from the Kaiser’s control.
Australia successfully took the the German colony in the opening weeks of the First World War with the loss of six men.
Music
Superact has launched its The Last Post project to mark the Centenary of the First World War in the UK.
Community groups will be encouraged to research their connections to the conflict and play music from the period as an act of commemoration. At every event, the Last Post will be played in a variety of styles to remember someone in their community – not just on bugles – but on any instrument.
Nurse
The most senior nurse on the Western Front during the First World War, Maud McCarthy has been honoured with an English Heritage blue plaque at her former home in Chelsea, London.
Serving as Army Matron-In-Chief, the Australian born woman was in charge of 6,000 British, Imperial and American nurses by 1918. That year, she was made a Dame of the British Empire.
Images courtesy of the War Memorial’s Trust
Posted by: Daniel Barry, Centenary News