Nearly 50% don’t know about end of conflict events
NOVEMBER may be 100 years since the end of World War One - but just 52 per cent of people in the East Midlands are aware of events to mark the occasion.
Armistice Day took place at 11am on November 11 1918, marking an end to the “Great” War that claimed the lives of more than 700,000 UK soldiers.
And, perhaps surprisingly, only 51.7 per cent of people in our region are aware of events or activities to commemorate the 100 years since guns fell silent - with experts expressing fears that younger generations aren’t being taught about World War One.
Figures from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport show that 56.0 per cent of people in the East Midlands in 2015/16 were aware of events marking 100 years since the 1914-1918 war.
The rate fell to 50.4 per cent the following year, before the slight increase to 51.7 per cent recorded in 2017/18.
Despite this, there have been events up and down the country - in addition to the annual poppy-wearing symbol of remembrance - since 2014 to mark the centenary commemoration.
Within the East Midlands there are various opportunities to mark the occasion.
These include a musical performance in Lincoln called Keep the Home Fires Burning on November 2 and 3, and the Call to Arms exhibition at Perlethorpe in Nottinghamshire, open until November 30.
SSAFA, the armed forces charity, revealed earlier this year that younger generations are misinformed about key facts surrounding World War One.
Fewer than half of Millennials knew that the murder of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, led to the outbreak of the war - with six per cent believing it was the assassination of the American president John Kennedy instead.
Knowledge of Britain’s history was also called into ques- tion, with a quarter of Millennial Brits believing that we fought against Russia and 19 per cent believing France was an enemy, too. Both were, in fact, allies. Justine Baynes, director as SSAFA, said: “Millennials are the first generation who may not have known a family member who fought in World War One so it’s not surprising that there may be a lack of knowledge about the war. The further we move away from the conflict, the more important it becomes to keep the World War One stories of bravery and courage alive and commemorate those who gave up their lives for our country.
“To mark the centenary of the end of World War One this year, we’re calling on the nation to pass the stories of World War One down to the younger generations so they will be celebrated and never be forgotten.”
To find out about more events in your area marking 100 years since the end of World War One, visit www.1914-org/events-calendar.