/IndexMagazineTW


@IndexMag


@CanterburyIndex


015


Great War


The REMEMBERED


One hundred years ago this month, France, Britain and Germany signed the Armistice bringing into force a ceasefi re at 11am on 11th November 1918, that ended four years of confl ict involving 32 countries and causing 17 million military and civilian casualties worldwide. Here INDEX examines how Kent will commemorate this most poignant of centenaries…


Vicky Hales-Dutton & Guy Croton n 11th


November 1918 the nation’s bells pealed out joyously as news of the


ceasefi re spread. One hundred years


later, on Remembrance Sunday 2018, they will ring again. Whole communities will join the national celebrations and/or organise their own Battle’s Over events. In West Kent, as elsewhere, the day offi cially starts at 6am with a piper (in Southborough, for example) followed by processions, wreath laying, bell ringing and services in many places of worship throughout the day. Following the Last Post at 6.55pm, the county’s beacons will be lit and the night air will, once again, be fi lled with the sound of bells chiming for peace.


For those left behind in Kent the war was never far away, with the sound of artillery fi re and the constant movement of soldiers and munitions to and from the coast. Its hospitals looked after countless wounded men – more than 13,500 convalesced in Tunbridge Wells alone – while many towns, such as Sevenoaks, took in Belgian refugees. The Great War offi cially ended on 28th June 1919 with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. The 19th July was declared an offi cial holiday and Kent celebrated with the rest of the nation. Later that month, Tonbridge’s successful wartime fundraising was rewarded with the gift of a tank.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118