First World War

First World War postcards from 2014 to 1914

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Sat, 08/02/2014 - 3:22pm

Hundreds of postcards have been written to those affected by the outbreak of the First World War from people today, as a form of memorial and recognition.

These letters are not only to the soldiers, medics and the war horses that served, but also to the millions of civilians who remained at home and contributed to the war effort.

As part of a University of Exeter engagement project, The Long Goodbye: a conversation across a century has encouraged members of the public and students to write postcards to those living at the time of the Great War. The aim is to address the...

Poppy planting around the county

Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted: Thu, 05/22/2014 - 11:15am

School children have teamed up with their local churches to plant poppies in communities around Devon, as part of an initiative by the Diocese of Exeter to commemorate the centenary of World War One.

With the support of Paignton based Sutton Seeds, the Diocese sent out 500 packets of the Northlew poppy seeds before Easter.

Northlew, a small village near Okehampton, lost proportionally more of its enlisted men than anywhere else in the UK, when 24 died out of the 100 strong adult male population.

Landkey Primary School and St Paul's Church, Landkey joined forces to...

First World War memorial room reopens at Castle Drogo

The team of staff and volunteers at Castle Drogo are pleased to re-open to the public the memorial room dedicated to Adrian Drewe, Julius and Francis Drewe’s eldest son and heir who was killed during the First World War.

The contents of the room were put in storage in December 2012 as part of the ongoing building project to make Castle Drogo watertight. The window was taken out to be refurbished and it is the first of 913 windows to be put back in situ.

House and Collections Manager, Lucinda Heron, said:

"As the room is a designated war memorial, it has been re-...

Report shows lack of knowledge about World War 1’s global impact

A widespread lack of understanding of the global scale and impact of the First World War has been revealed in a new report.

Research by the British Council in the UK and six other countries shows that knowledge of the conflict - which began 100 years ago is largely limited to the fighting on the Western Front.

University of Exeter historian, Dr Catriona Pennell acted as historical consultant to the report ‘Remember The World As Well As The War’. It explores people's perceptions and knowledge about the First World War and highlights the truly global nature of the conflict...

Dartmoor youth theatre relives the First World War

Event Date: 
23/11/2013 - 5:00pm to 24/11/2013 - 4:00pm
Venue: 
Moretonhamsptead Parish Hall and Castle Drogo

With the centenary of the First World War around the corner, Dartmoor’s young people have been delving into Devon’s past. ‘Road to Nowhere’ is a new drama devised by MED Theatre’s Young Company and explores the impact the First World War had on Dartmoor and its communities.

When a nation is called to war, two young tin miners chose separate paths; while one friend faces the front line, another faces internment at Dartmoor prison and accusations of cowardice. Meanwhile Castle Drogo stands deserted and incomplete as the stone masons down their tools and head for the front line....

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