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