PRIMARY schools across Cumbria are being encouraged to commemorate the centenary of the First World War by seeking out stories behind the names on local war memorials.
The ‘Memorial’ project is aimed at honouring the sacrifice of the 720,000 British service personnel who died in the conflict and has been timed to coincide with next year’s hundredth anniversary of the outbreak of war.
Flyers have been sent out to the county’s primary schools via the county council’s online school portal highlighting that resource packs outlining links to useful websites, directories and local library and archive services that will help with the research are available.
The project is supported by the Lord Lieutenant for Cumbria Claire Hensman, Cumbria County History Trust and the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society.
Participating schools are being encouraged to find out more about the men listed on war memorials and investigate whether descendents of these people still live in the community, if families have photographs or records of the deceased and if memories of their lives and deaths have been handed down through the generations.
There are hundreds of war memorials across Cumbria in a variety of locations from village greens to churches and even on the summit of Great Gable.
Once information has been gathered it can be used to create posters or scrapbooks and displayed in the school or local library and on the County History Trust website. Schools will also be invited to display their projects at the Rheged Centre near Penrith at an exhibition in the summer of 2014.
Lord Lieutenant for Cumbria Claire Hensman said: “This project is a tremendous way of ensuring the sacrifices made by local communities in the First World War are not forgotten and that what they did stays alive in the memories of current generations.
“I’d encourage as many primary schools as possible to get involved and see what information and revelations they can unearth.
“As well as schools, other groups of people interested in military or local history are welcome to take part.”
Schools or groups wanting to take part are asked to send their contact details to memorial@cumbria.gov.uk
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