Durham Light Infantry soldiers in the trenches during the First World War
PREPARATIONS are underway across County Durham to mark the centenary of the First World War.
A report to Durham County Council will show that, although plans for the anniversary are in their early stages, there are already a wide range of projects being developed.
The report also says that, as the home of the DLI Museum and Durham Art Gallery, it is hoped that County Durham could become a regional hub for commemorations.
Councillor Neil Foster, cabinet member for economic regeneration, said: “It is widely believed that County Durham supplied more recruits to the Armed Forces during the war than any other county, with the DLI sending more than 22,000 men to fight overseas.
“It is, therefore, extremely important that we take time to remember those soldiers and their families and to commemorate the anniversary of the conflict in an appropriate and thoughtful way.”
It proposed that events will be held in County Durham to mark three key dates – August 4, 2014, the centenary of the day Britain entered the war;
July 1, 2016, 100 years after the Battle of the Somme and November 11, 2018, the anniversary of the day the guns fell silent.
Projects and activities running during the four-year anniversary period will include a First World War education programme for secondary schools, a British Army touring exhibition and an interactive mapping website coordinated by Durham County Record Office.
The council’s library service is planning a programme of activities and council-owned venues such as Gala Theatre and Bishop Auckland Town Hall will be incorporating the anniversary into their plans.
