WIREDGOV

War Graves Commission remembers

News Release issued by the COI News Distribution Service on 09 November 2009

Following the recent deaths of Britain's two remaining veterans from the First World War - Harry Patch and Henry Allingham - we have lost our last living link with those young servicemen and women who gave their lives during the Great War.

For this year's Remembrance Day, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission is asking today's young people to take a moment and think about the sacrifice of their forebears and has produced a number of learning aids to help teachers.

“Glory Days - Football in Times of War” is an engaging short film, intended as an interesting way for teachers to inform students about the sacrifices made by footballers during the two World Wars. Introduced by David Beckham, the DVD is being sent to every school in the UK and can be watched online at www.cwgc.org/glorydays/dvd

As an example of what Remembrance Day means to one teenager, the Commission asked 17 year old Crawford McInally-Kier from Hutchesons' Grammar School in Glasgow to explain how a trip to Flanders transformed the way he views honouring the fallen. The video report can be seen at www.cwgc.org and more information is available at the Commission's recently-launched Learning Zone: www.cwgc.org/learningzone

“The Children Who Fought Hitler” is a newly published book which examines the history of the Commission's own staff during the Second World War. The British ex-pat community, which lived in Ieper, Belgium and who tended the war graves and memorials there, were forced to flee their homes in 1940 when the Nazis invaded. “The Children Who Fought Hitler” tells the story of the brave youngsters who fought back and a video report on it can be seen here: www.cwgc.org

For further information on any of these items, please contact the Commission’s PR & Media Manager Ranald Leask on 01628 507204 or 07887 860541 or ranald.leask@cwgc.org

Broadcast-standard interviews can be conducted with a Commission representative via an in-house ISDN line.

Ends.

Notes to Editors

Notes for Editors

1. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is responsible for marking and maintaining the graves of those members of the Commonwealth forces who died during the two world wars, for building and maintaining memorials to the dead whose graves are unknown and for providing records and registers of these 1.7 million burials and commemorations found in most countries throughout the world. For more information visit www.cwgc.org

Contacts:

NDS Enquiries
Phone: For enquiries please contact the above department
ndsenquiries@coi.gsi.gov.uk