Friends Newsletter Feb 2017
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The Newsletter of the Friends of Cumbria’s Museum of Military Life February 2017 THE LION & THE DRAGON VC Centenary of 9887 Sergeant Edward John Mott VC DCM 1st Battalion Border Regiment Edward John Mott was born at Drayton near Abingdon further active service on the Western Front after recov- in Berkshire on 4th July 1893 and enlisted as a regular ering from his wounds. He was discharged from the soldier on 31st December 1910. After completing his Army on 16th March 1919, as no longer physically fit for training at the Regimental Depot in Carlisle Castle, he active service. served with the 1st Battalion in Burma and returned to Mott died at Witney in Oxfordshire on 20th October England with the unit in late 1914. 1967, was cremated, and his ashes scattered at Oxford The 1st Battalion formed part of the new 29th Infantry Crematorium in the Garden of Remembrance. His Division, which was based at Rugby in Warwickshire and original VC was stolen after WW1 and officially replaced joined the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force for by the War Office in 1937. The Medals were sold after Gallipoli. Mott, serving in 5 Platoon of B Company, em- his death, at Glendinnings and purchased in 1976 by the barked for Gallipoli in March 1915. The Battalion landed Regimental Museum with grant aid from the Victoria at Gallipoli on 25th April and soon after Mott was award- and Albert Museum. The German Maxim machine gun ed the DCM. The Citation published in The London (showing battle damage) that he captured is in the Gazette of 3rd June 1915 read - "On 28th April 1915, Museum Collection. In 2006 a VC, DCM and Star named during operations south of Krithia for gallant conduct in to Mott came to the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge leading his company to successive fire positions, and as part of the Lester Watson numismatic collection from again for conspicuous bravery and good service in the USA – these are thought to attacking over difficult country". In addition he received be his original medals which a Mention-in-Despatches on 20th May 1915. Mott’s were stolen, and apparently name appeared twice in a list of wounded published in bought by the collector from The Times newspaper in May and October 1915. Baldwins in the 1920’s. He returned to England and at some point was present- Sgt. Edward Mott VC, DCM , ed with his DCM by the King whilst on leave in Liverpool. photographed in 1918 with Sgt. He then embarked to join the 2nd Battalion in France on Charles Spackman VC, Medaille 3rd May 1916, but was hospitalised with shell-shock and Militaire (France), who won his returned to England in early July. Having recovered, he VC in November 1917, on the re-joined the 1st Battalion in France and was awarded right. Stuart Eastwood - Chief Curator the VC for gallantry on 27th January 1917 south of Le Transloy. The Citation for the award read – “For most conspicuous gallantry and initiative when in an attack, The year ahead the Company to which he belonged was held up at a The Museum continues to evolve. Footfall is strong-point by machine-gun fire. Although severely increasing, new acquisitions are regularly wounded in the eye, Sergeant Mott made a rush for researched and documented, and a number of the gun, and after a fierce struggle seized the gunner special exhibitions are ongoing or planned. Staff, and took him prisoner, capturing the gun. It was due to regular and volunteer, continue their enthusiastic development of interesting themes. Talks and the dash of the NCO that the left flank attack succeed- presentations by high-calibre speakers are well ed”. The Citation was published in the London Gazette supported. of 10th March 1917. We do not know if he saw any We look forward to a challenging and fruitful 2017. The Newsletter of the Friends of Cumbria’s Museum of Military Life February 2017 Voices from the Somme 1916-2016 2016 was the The focal point of the Voices project Carlisle City Council provided some centenary of the was a temporary exhibition which ran funding to enable the Museum to work Somme, a conflict from the 24th June to 20th November with the Women’s Institute and Royal which involved 2016 using documents, photographs and British Legion on the poppy community soldiers from the objects from the collections and art installation. An appeal for 1700 local Border additional loaned material. High profile knitted poppies saw the Museum Regiment & speakers, including Peter Barton and Sir overwhelmed by more than 9000 knitted soldiers from Hew Strachan, provided a programme poppies, from groups and individuals all Cumberland & Westmorland. The of highly successful talks, plus a series over Cumbria and the UK, which impact on communities was enormous. of community road shows, working with formed part of an outdoor art installation The centenary was an opportunity for other Cumbrian heritage organisations, at Alma. For 141 days the jute banners the Museum to embark on a major saw staff and volunteers engaging with were unfurled daily to provide a project to explore the local stories, people from across the County, sobering reminder of the impact of the engage residents, encourage visitors to including Alston, Brampton, Keswick Somme. Additional poppies were sold share their family experiences and and Millom. Towns from where many in aid of the Royal British Legion. illustrate the local connection to The of the volunteer soldiers had lived and Somme and WW1. worked before they enlisted for the war. Voices from the Somme 1916-2016 would not have been possible without Working with young people was an the huge contribution of the Museum important part of this project and, thanks volunteers. Throughout the project, to a grant from the Friends, the CMoML volunteers helped with research, the young peoples’ group worked with a installation and dismantling of the film-maker to research and produce a exhibition, the community road shows, short documentary about the Lonsdales the poppy project and holiday Battalion. workshops. The volunteer input has been invaluable and much appreciated. Additional thanks must go to two serving soldiers from the Duke of The Voices project was a huge amount Lancaster’s Regiment who were of work but a great success. The interviewed for the film, and the final exhibition alone cut was first shown at the June saw over 12,000 exhibition opening. Additionally, the visitors, many Filming at Carlisle Racecourse. Museum worked with Prism Arts on a leaving comments The racecourse was the basic training schools project. 240 school children in our visitors’ camp for many young men who would from six county schools attended an book: ‘It was a never return. They would leave here to Armistice Day service within the Castle greatly informative gain further skills before deploying to to perform a song they had written, and moving the various battlefields of the Great which was inspired by the Somme and exhibition’ and War. For many this would be their last the Museum collections. ‘This Somme steps on their home counties of exhibition is Cumberland and Westmorland. important for posterity. Thank you to those who have put it together.’ 2016 From an initial idea Voices from the has been an incredible learning journey Somme 1916-2016 was born. Months for the Museum team and the support of planning and organising would only from the Friends has been essential. The work with external funding and challenge now is to use Voices as a CMoML was lucky enough to secure template for good practice for future funding from a variety of sources projects and expand on the community including Heritage Lottery and The Arts connections that we have started to Council, – to cover different aspects of make. We look forward to 2017 and the the project. This was a new way of challenges ahead! working for the Museum team and a A small part of the primary exhibition in the Museum of Military Life chance to learn from our experience. Jules Wooding Learning & Access Officer Page 2 The Newsletter of the Friends of Cumbria’s Museum of Military Life February 2017 Their Memory Lives On The Lion and the Dragon Cotehill Primary School, near Carlisle, closed in 1995 after Some of our readers of a non-military background may 141 years of valuable service to the community. The School be unaware of the origin of the term “The Lion and the which opened in 1854 not only acted as the main centre of Dragon” as it appears on the title page of this elementary education but the school hall served the village as a Newsletter. meeting place for community activities. In 1921 it was the natural place to put a Roll of Honour to all the men who served From 1959 until 2006 “The Lion and Dragon” was the in the forces during the Great War. title of the Regimental Magazine of the King’s Own It is a memorial with dignity, White Marble fixed on to a black Royal Border Regiment. slate background. On it there are 73 named villagers who served But as with so much our military tradition this phrase their country in the Great War. The distribution of names is has a very much older origin. rather interesting in that it divides them in to those who died, It refers to two major badges from the predecessor those that served overseas and those who did home service. This Regiments of the KORB Regiment, the Lion from the King’s Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster), and the complements the Village War Memorial at the Parish Church.