Friday 27 July 2018

Visit to Hayle, books and a poster

Always enjoy a visit to Hayle, in particular Old Foundry Chapel.
Great to see Battle Beneath The Trenches, a book in the Cornish Bookworm by Robert (Ken) Johns about the 251st Tunnelling Company formed in Hayle in World War One. Ken gave a great talk about this at Passmore Edwards Hall last week. 

It was also good to see a poster advertising our poetry workshops in September and October, creating work to be read at Remembrance Day services in Hayle and elsewhere this year.

Tuesday 24 July 2018

Spreading the word about Camborne Youth Band's trip to France

A big thank you to the Commonwealth War Graves commission for publicising Camborne Youth Band's visit to Sailly-sur-la-Lys graveyard on Saturday 25 August. Click here to view.
Thomas Penhorwood, a former policeman
from Newquay who died collecting wounded
The visit is part of a two-day trip to France and Belgium, marking the centenary of the end of World War One. On Sunday 26 August, the Band will play at the Menin Gate, Belgium, where tens of thousands of men with no known grave are remembered.
At Sailly-sur-Lys, the Band will lay a wreath on the grave of Thomas Penhorwood, a former policeman from Newquay who was killed collecting wounded from the battle of Aubers Ridge in 1915.

Saturday 21 July 2018

Camborne Youth Band on the march to history ....

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Really proud of Camborne Youth Band Events at Camborne Show today - we're looking forward to travelling to the Western Front and Menin Gate with them in August - marking the centenary of the end of World War One. More here …

Friday 20 July 2018

251st Tunnelling Company remembered in Hayle




It really was an historic occasion last night in Hayle when Robert (Ken) Johns came to talk at the Passmore Edwards Hall on the 251st Tunnelling Company formed in Hayle. This company, formed in Hayle, was an expert unit that tunnelled under enemy lines during World War One. It was highly skilled and very dangerous work, as Ken explained.  For more about this and his book Battle Beneath the Trenches - click here.
It was great to so many people at this talk, the latest one in our series Heroes of Hayle, marking the centenary of World War One. Next up: poetry workshops in September and October to create work to read at Remembrance Day services this year.

Thursday 19 July 2018

Cornish miners tunnelling under the Western Front

Looking forward to the talk this evening in Hayle by Robert Johns on the 251st Tunnelling Company. More here.  Cornish miners who tunnelled under the Western Front in World War One were enormously brave - and often didn't survive. William Gendall Jenkin from Camborne died on the battlefields of the Somme. Juliet Jenkin of Redruth has done some tremendous research on William, a cousin of her late husband. She generously loaned his belt, still covered with dried mud, to St Agnes museum.


Wednesday 18 July 2018

Photos from Explosives Factory tour on Upton Towans, Hayle

Very many thanks to Gwen Pooley of Phillack Church, who took these lovely photos of the walk over the site of the National Explosives Factory, Upton Towans, Hayle. Local expert Peter Channon led this walk at the end of last month. Two young women were blown up at this factory in December 1916. Peter's walk - and talk earlier in the month - threw a spotlight on this forgotten history.  More about this, and our other work marking the centenary of World War One, here.





Tuesday 17 July 2018

Free talk on a World War One tunnelling company

A last minute reminder about a talk in Hayle, Cornwall, this Thursday 19 July - Robert Johns will be talking about the Cornish miners who tunnelled under enemy lines in World War One. Very tough and dangerous work. Robert is an expert - should be fascinating. Entry free - at the Passmore Edwards Hall. Poster below - all very welcome! 7pm

Friday 13 July 2018

Patriotism at the butcher's in Barnard Castle

Tour of the north continues - keeping an eye open for World War One commemorations.
None spotted (yet) in Barnard Castle, but there is an impressively patriotic display in the butcher's shop window - England sausage meat and sausages, inspired by the World Cup team's heroic exploits.




Thursday 12 July 2018

A wall of poppies, a crooked spire and a wedding in Chesterfield

Chesterfield is famous for its crooked spire...
 

This wonderful church is marking the centenary of World War One, with a wall - or waterfall of poppies remembering the war dead.


Very much alive on this beautiful summer morning were preparations for a wedding....
which was absolutely spectacular.






Wednesday 11 July 2018

Sunshine, poppies and a new icon at Lichfield


Always interesting to see how people are marking the centenary of the end of World War One. At Lickfield Cathedral they are creating a new icon. Artists are actually working in a studio created in the cathedral and you can peer through a window at them.

Next to the studio are more traditional ways of remembering the war dead - a chapel and Remembrance Book. They are very moving in the summer sunshine. This candle will be kept lit until Armistice Day 2018.

It's next to one of the most beautiful illuminated books I've ever seen - filled with the names of local men who died.
These flowers were on the way out - a reminder of summer outside.
And the stunning Cathedral facade in the sunshine.

Thursday 5 July 2018

Tunnelling Company talk - the poster

Thank you, David Cross - the designer who has done such a brilliant job creating these posters for our project Heroes of Hayle.
This work is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and marks the centenary of World War One in Hayle, Cornwall.

Battle Beneath The Trenches

Next up in our project, HEROES OF HAYLE, marking the centenary of World War One ....
The 251st Tunnelling Company
A FREE talk  by Robert K. Johns, author of Battle Beneath the Trenches
All welcome
 Thursday 19 July 7pm
Passmore Edwards Institute, Hayle  TR27 4BU
Background:
The 251st Tunnelling Company was formed at Hayle, Cornwall. This Company took over from 170th Tunnelling Company in the Loos area in October 1915, around Cuinchy-Cambrin-Auchy, where it remained for a considerable time. It blew the last mine fired by the British in the Great War, near Givenchy, on 10 August 1917. By April 1918, the 251st Tunnelling Company were in the area between the Lys and La Bassee canal, working on defensive schemes. 251st Tunnelling Company took part in the successful defence of Givenchy when the Allied units there were attacked by German forces in that month.
In addition, specialist tin miners were also recruited from the Cornish mines mainly joining the 251st Tunnelling Company. To attract the tin miners, a per diem of six shillings a day was offered to underground miners, which was around double to that was being paid in the mines.
On Friday, 10 August 1917, the Royal Engineers fired the last British deep mine of the war, at Givenchy-en-Gohelle near Arras. Around 7:05 a.m., the 251st Tunnelling Company on the 5th Infantry Brigade front of the 2nd Division, exploded a mine at the northern end of the brigade sector, near Surrey Crater, which became known as Warlingham Crater.
For more information, please email info@bridging-arts.com
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War graves remembered thanks to local historian




Local historian Chris Berry gave a fascinating talk on the war graves in Phillack Churchyard, Hayle, Cornwall, on Wednesday 4 July. Chris has put heart and soul into this research and has produced a really valuable piece of work for future generations. This talk was part of Heroes of Hayle, our work marking the centenary of World War One. Next up: a talk by historian Robert Johns on the 251st Tunnelling Company.

Monday 2 July 2018

Spotlight on War Graves at Phillack, Cornwall

Thanks to everyone who has supported the events so far in our World War One project, Heroes of Hayle. Hayle is certainly proud of its history! It has been wonderful to see so many people coming along to the first two events – a talk and a walk looking at the National Explosives Factory, Hayle, both led by Peter Channon.
Next up: local historian Chris Berry will be talking about the war graves in Phillack Churchyard. Not to be missed. Chris has put heart and soul into this research and come up with a really valuable piece of work for future generations.
Wednesday 4 July 7pm
Phillack Church TR27 5AW
All welcome. Entry Free. Funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

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