Lamplight of Peace arrives in Portsmouth ahead of Remembrance commemorations

WITH less than 100 days to go until the country commemorates the end of the First World War, Portsmouth has taken in a historical relic used by miners during the conflict.
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Published 5th Aug 2018, 19:44 GMT
Updated 31st Aug 2018, 17:16 GMT

At the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard yesterday morning, the Lamplight of Peace was presented, commemorating the work of the Great War tunnellers and the millions of soldiers, sailors and merchant seamen that lost their lives.

The lamp will pass through all sections of the armed forces before Remembrance Sunday on November 11.

The event was organised by the Royal Naval Association, and hosted by the Historic Dockyard, with the lamp taking centre stage at a service outside the Jutland 100 exhibition, before being taken over to the four-inch gun from HMS Lance, which fired the first shot at sea in the First World War.

The lamplight arrives at Portsmouth's Historic DockyardThe lamplight arrives at Portsmouth's Historic Dockyard
The lamplight arrives at Portsmouth's Historic Dockyard

Andy Christie, deputy general secretary of the Royal Naval Association, said: 'Today was very special.

'I think it's lovely that the Royal Naval Association gets a chance to do a commemoration like this - we do it spectacularly well when we do get the opportunity.

'Today it was lovely to say something and to represent our First World War veterans.

'I had seen pictures of the lamplight before but to see it in the flesh was very good.

The lamplight arrives at Portsmouth's Historic DockyardThe lamplight arrives at Portsmouth's Historic Dockyard
The lamplight arrives at Portsmouth's Historic Dockyard

'It really does make the Remembrance much more real to see something like that with your own eyes and it's nice to see something physical that you can remember people by

'I'll actually be on Whitehall with the wreath and the national chairman - I was in the Falklands on HMS Glasgow so events like this have a particularly special meaning to me.

'This is a good start to this year's Remembarance commemorations and I'll remember this for a very long time.'

Veteran Graham Lesley, from Southsea, said: 'We've had quite a few people come from many different areas today.

'It's a very special day and an honour to help - you just can't quite imagine what places like the Somme would have looked like during the conflict.

'To see the lantern like that is really special indeed.'

Professor Dominic Tweddle, director general of The National Museum of the Royal Navy, said: '˜We are honoured to be the first call for the Lamplight of Peace and urge all our visitors to reflect on the incredible bravery of those who fought in the First World War.

Related topics:PortsmouthPortsmouth Historic Dockyard