Royal Armouries remembrance events mark the centenary of the Battle of Passchendaele

The Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds will be hosting a weekend of commemorative events on the 11 and 12 November to mark the centenary of the Battle of Passchendaele.

The Battle of Passchendaele took place between July and November 1917, at least 325,000 Allied troops and 260,000 German troops died in the battle making it one of the deadliest conflicts of the First World War. Between 1914 and 1918 the city of Leeds lost more than 10,000 of its citizens in the war.

Throughout the weekend visitors can discover more about the technological advances of the Great War through talks, tours and live performances. The museum square will play centre stage to a replica Mark IV British tank, with soldiers in historic uniform giving talks about life at the front.

Events will include firearms demonstrations, tech talks on the pioneering development and use of the tank, and an exclusive opportunity to meet the Royal Armouries curators as they display a rare Mauser 1918 T-Gewehr anti-tank gun. There will be a reflective space in the Hall of Steel for visitors to make their own poppies alongside talks about the weapons of Passchendaele, the Royal Flying Corps, conscientious objectors and Elsie Knocker, a British nurse on the front line.

‘Services Rendered’ an exhibition of paintings depicting spent rounds recovered from the Passchendaele battlefield is also on display in the War Gallery at the museum, artist Jessica Holmes will be giving talks over the weekend about the inspiration behind her work.

On Saturday 11 November the museum will be holding its annual Armistice Day Service. Visitors are invited to join museum staff for a period of quiet reflection, with music, readings and a commemorative poppy drop.

Please note that the doors to the museum will be closed between 10.45am and 11.30am while the service is in progress. Visitors who wish to attend are advised to arrive at the museum at least 15 minutes in advance of the service.

Commenting on the event, Mark Jackson, Events and Informal Learning Manager at the Royal Armouries, said: “This year marks a particularly poignant moment in the centenary of the First World War. The Battle of Passchendaele was one of the most catastrophic conflicts of the Great War, with many lives being lost on both sides.

“We hope that our events give visitors an opportunity to connect with this period of history and reflect on the many ways in which the lives of ordinary people are affected by conflict, both past and present.”

Find out more about remembrance events at the Royal Armouries Museum on its website: https://royalarmouries.org/events/calendar/2017-11-11/insight-passchendaele-1917

Notes to editors

Further enquiries to: Katie Canning, Communications Officer, Royal Armouries at katie.canning@armouries.org.uk Telephone: 0113 220 1978

About the Royal Armouries
Entry to the museum is free but some activities carry a small charge.
– Royal Armouries has sites in Leeds, HM Tower of London and Fort Nelson in Hampshire.
– The Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds houses a major part of the national collection of arms and armour, and displays over 8,500 objects throughout its five themed galleries.
– Open all year daily, 10am-5pm. Closed 24-26 December
– Website: www.royalarmouries.org
– The Royal Armouries Museum should not be confused with Royal Armouries International plc, the private sector corporate hospitality business based on the same site in Leeds.