Fields of Battle: Lands of Peace 1914-18


Interesting outdoor exhibition in St James Park to mark the centenary of the end of the First World War.

This used lovely photographs by Michael St Maur Sheil of the landscape affected by the war to talk about issues raised by the conflict. It was beautifully arranged so that as you looked along the displays you saw a line of the pictures but each was accompanied by excellent explanations of each of the areas of the war and common themes it raised.

I thought I knew a lot about the First World War but even I learnt new things from this such as the fact that the plastic surgeon Sir Harold Giles who worked at Sidcup to rebuilt men’s faces was a cousin of Sir Archibald McIndoe who did similar work in the Second World War with pilots injured by fire. Also that the Save the Children Fund was founded in 1919 to raise money for children in Central Europe and the Indian government lent Britain money to fund the war.

This was the last in a series of touring exhibitions. I remember seeing the first back in 2014 and wish I’d been aware of the others if they were in the park.

Closed on 19 November 2018


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