Willingdon’s Egg Collection

Did you know that millions of eggs were collected for wounded troops in a National Egg Collection scheme? The Willingdon parish magazine covering the years of WW1 show that the parishioners were involved in various activities to help our troops. Hospital Egg Collection Days for the local Princess Alice Memorial Hospital in Eastbourne had been […]


Winnie the Pooh

Did you know that the original Winnie the Pooh was a mascot for a Canadian Infantry Brigade during the First World War? When war broke out in August 1914 and Britain declared war on Germany, Canada, as the senior Dominion nation in the British Empire, automatically declared war as well. Having joined the Canadian Expeditionary […]


Strange Coincidence: Franz Ferdinand’s licence plate and Armistice Day

Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated on 28 June 1914; an event which is said to be the catalyst for the First World War. Did you know that the Archduke’s number plate read: A 111 118? A series that can be read as, Armistice 11 November ‘18. Sources: HISTORY®: World Wars Smithsonian.com


Blackberries for the Government Jam Scheme

Did you know that, during the First World War, children picked blackberries for the Government? In 1918 as a result of the war, food rationing was introduced and a committee was set up to look at the ways of utilising any available natural resource. Throughout the country rural schools were instructed to ‘employ their children […]


The cost of the First World War

Did you know that Britain still has £2bn worth of debts to pay back after the First World War? During the First World War, the British government offered a series of war loans for possible investment. In 1917, in order to help raise funds to continue financing the war effort, Britain began to issue war […]


White Star Liners

Did you know that the Royal Mail Ships (RMS) Britannic and Olympic, both sister ships of the Titanic, served in the First World War? The famous White Star cruise line built three ships in the same class. These were the RMS Olympic the Titanic, and the Britannic. The trio of ships had a checkered service history. The Titanic infamously struck an […]


Don’t Look Down – Parachutes in the First World War

Did you know that the use of parachutes was highly contentious during the First World War? Whilst practical parachutes were originally invented in the late 18th century the use of them from airplanes was still in its infancy at the outbreak of war. Whilst the various nations involved began to experiment with the military potential of […]


Camouflage Trees

Did you know that, during the First World War, armies used to erect fake trees as observation and sniper posts? Trying to hide yourself in No Man’s Land during the war was a risky business. The badly damaged landscape gave no real cover from the watching eyes on either side. Therefore, the ability to spy […]


Fokker Scourge

Did you know that the Germans first developed a way for machine guns to fire through plane propellers? Aircraft technology was not particularly advanced at the outbreak of the First World War and arming and firing weapons during combat in the air was no easy task. In April of 1915 the Germans successfully developed the […]


Newhaven Transport Memorial

Did you know that the Newhaven Transport Memorial currently sited in the Memorial Garden was originally placed elsewhere? The Transport Memorial bears the names of 99 people who lost their lives whilst undertaking to deliver supplies to the frontlines during the First World War. It was unveiled in 1920 at the corner of Meeching and […]