Poppy drop and roll call for ‘Leeds Pals’
A large scale poppy drop in the main atrium of the museum, a new exhibition focusing on local stories of the First World War and a special Insight weekend will be highlights of the Royal Armouries’ Month of Remembrance in Leeds.
Throughout November, the Royal Armouries museum at Leeds will honour the sacrifices made by men and women throughout history on the field of battle and theatre of conflict with a rich programme as follows:
Lest we Forget Exhibition, Wednesday 4 November – Sunday 1 January 2016: inspired by pictures, documents and family records a group of adult learners from Otley encourage visitors to reflect on the impact of the First World War on the people of Yorkshire. The exhibition explores the stories of the injured who faced long periods of recovery; the ‘pals brigades’ of men who joined, fought and often died together; the devastation of the Spanish influenza epidemic; and the Leeds Barnbow ‘lasses’ who worked in munitions manufacture. All of these stories are remarkable, none more so than that of Indian born Jogendra Sen, who studied at Leeds University and became one of the first men to join the ‘Leeds Pals’ battalion. ‘John’, as he was known to his comrades, died in ‘no mans land’ in 1916 and was buried in France.
The Leeds Poppy Day bus, 5 November: will be visiting the Royal Armouries museum with veterans of the Royal British Legion (RBL). Jonathan Ferguson, the museum’s curator of Firearms, will take the RBL veterans on a guided tour of the Royal Armouries First World War permanent exhibition.
In-Sight: First World War, 7 and 8 November: a weekend of presentations and events at the museum on the theme of the First World War, exploring the arms and armour used and the stories of some of those involved at home and abroad.
Armistice Day, 10.45 am 11 November: Yorkshire provided tens of thousands of men for the British Army during the First World War – from infantry and artillery to engineers and transport. Poppies will be dropped from balconies as part of a service of remembrance, which will include choral music by the clerks of All Saints from York. The Armistice service, led by Rev Gordon Warren, honorary chaplain to the Royal Navy, will focus on the 15th battalion (1st Leeds), West Yorkshire Regiment the ‘Leeds Pals’, with a roll call of names of the officers, NCOs and men from the battalion who lost their lives before the opening of the battle of the Somme in 1916. A lone bugle will sound the Last Post before two minutes’ silence at 11 am.
Big Bookend Children’s Festival Earth, Fire and Ink event, 11 am – 4 pm Saturday 14 November: children and their families can listen to stories by Nick Butterworth and Mick Inkpen, as well as the creator of Charlie and Lola; get involved in craft activities; and meet a ‘Leeds pal’ through living history presentations.
World Peace Flame: will burn throughout the month in the Hall of Steel as part of an international peace initiative.
