Lest We Forget

It was on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month that the worlds first industrial war ended. A century on, Sussex remembers

- Simone Hellyer, Kevin Newman & Duncan Hall

Transparent silhouettes of fallen World War I soldiers have taken up residence in Arundel’s Cathedral and St Nicholas Church as well as St Peter ad Vincula in Wisborough Green as part of a nationwide installation.

The multi-faith campaign There But Not There has seen the silhouettes appear all over the UK. Each represents the shadow of a real World War I soldier who never came home and bears a plaque with a real soldier’s name.

There were 21 men who did not return to Wisborough Green. Representations of the soldiers now sit among the congregation of St Peter ad Vincula, with residents and visitors encouraged to learn their stories. Peter Drummond, chairman of Wisborough Green Parish Council, says: “It is an incredibly important anniversary. Wisborough Green Village History Society has undertaken an extraordinary amount of diligent research into the lives of the men on the War Memorial and has published a booklet detailing what they have discovered.”

In Arundel the losses of World War I were keenly felt, with 93 soldiers listed on the war memorial. The picturesque West Sussex town is home to the nation’s largest installation, surpassing even the temporary installation at Westminster Abbey. Michael Tu, trustee of the There But Not There project, says: “Arundel holds a very moving and well-attended service of commemoration every year at the town’s war memorial. The project reminds people of the sacrifices made 100 years ago. The 93 silhouettes represent people that are missing from our community and every one has a story. There are four brothers and 12 from the St Nicholas Church choir. Many visitors have been moved to tears by the installation. One entry in the visitor book simply says: ‘I was able to sit by my uncle for the first time ever’.”