St Mary's Calne
During the Autumn Term Academic Enrichment Week, the UIV completed a three day tour of the First World War battlefields. Led by two expert guides, the students looked at the many different experiences of the people who were caught up in the first great industrial war of the 20th century.
Exploring British and Germany trenches, trying on uniforms and using equipment such as gas masks, stretchers and rifles, the students got an insight into the horror of life on the front line.
They also learned about different types of fighting around the city of Ypres, which was bitterly contested for the entire duration of the war. They saw the huge craters created by the miners tunnelling under enemy defences, they learned about the lethal experiments with poison gas and witnessed the places where the wounded were evacuated and cared for.
By walking the fields, exploring the bunkers and the trenches, resting in the town squares or witnessing the prison cells and execution posts, the varied personal experiences of a wide range of people caught up in the ‘Great War’ came to life for the students.
It was particularly satisfying to be able to remember specific individuals related to students and staff. Standing in front of individuals’ graves or memorial panels on monuments to the missing, enabled us to escape the huge statistics of suffering and focus on young men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice during the First World War.