The World Remembers: A century of memories
September 19, 2018
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The First World War left an indelible mark on the world.
Death on a scale never seen before, years scarred by tragedy, futility, and devastation.
Queen’s University would not be untouched. Thousands of Queen’s men and women would be involved – enlisting as soldiers, serving as doctors and nurses, supporting the war effort in any way possible.
This Nov. 11, Remembrance Day, marks the 100th anniversary of the end of that war, yet, a century on, the memories linger.
Leading up to the centenary, Queen’s University is participating in The World Remembers, a powerful and timely expression of remembrance and reconciliation.
Led by award-winning Canadian actor R.H. Thomson and lighting designer Martin Conboy, the international event features the names of all war dead who were killed in 1918, regardless of which nation they were fighting for.
The experiences of women who served as nurses during the First World War will be brought to life through a dramatic reading on Thursday, Sept. 20 at 7:30 pm at the Rotunda Theatre of Theological Hall. Compiled and narrated by award-winning Canadian actor RH Thomson, with support from faculty, actors and musicians from the Dan School of Drama and Music, The Song of Those Who Healed: The Words of Women Who Served in the First World War draws upon the writings and interviews of five nurses from Canada, Britain, and the United States.
The piece is directed by the Dan School’s Craig Walker (Drama, English, Cultural Studies). Tickets are $10 for students and $15 for general admission.
Following the performance those present will be invited to make the short walk to Grant Hall. Thomson will say a few words of reflection and the group will observe two minutes silence. This will be the first formal recognition of the Queen’s University memorial of The World Remembers project. Among the many others, the names of all those from Queen’s who lost their lives during 1918, and who died of wounds or war-related illness in 1919 and 1920, will be projected on the outer wall of Grant Hall.
The World Remembers began in 2014, highlighting the names of those killed during each year of the First World War. As the project nears its conclusion, it has gathered strength.
“Memory is part of what makes us human,” says R.H. Thomson. “A personal connection to the almost unimaginable history of the First World War is the goal. One hundred years later, every man or woman who lost their life, regardless of their nationality, deserves to be individually remembered. Both new Canadians and Canadians whose families lived here in the war years can search the website for a relative who was killed and find the exact day, hour and minute that their name will appear in the displays. It is an opportunity to honour the diversity of Canadians caught up in the First World War.”
The Queen’s memorial will begin formally on Thursday, Sept. 20 and continue to Sunday, Nov. 11. Through the project, all 1,003,167 names of soldiers, nurses, and other military personnel who were killed in 1918 will be projected onto the outer wall of Grant Hall, facing Ontario Hall. Of those names 23,731 are Canadian.
Over the five years of the war close to 61,000 Canadians were killed, and another 172,000 were wounded. Among those deaths were 189 from Queen’s University. Queen’s University Archives have done amazing work compiling records on all these individuals.
The projection will begin at 8 pm each day and continue through the night. A list will be available at the memorial detailing when the name of each of the Queen’s fallen from 1918 will appear.
From the outbreak of the war on July 28, 1914, members of the Queen’s community contributed to the Canadian effort, enlisting in units such as the 5th Field Company Engineers, 6th Field Company Engineers, No. 5 Stationary Hospital / No. 7 (ֱ) Canadian General Hospital, 46th (Queen’s) Battery, 50th (Queen’s) Battery, 72nd (Queen’s) Battery , 253rd Battalion (Queen’s University Highlanders).
Others served in units from their hometowns or the Canadian Universities Unit.
Their memories live on today – Fifth Field Company Lane and George Taylor Richardson Memorial Stadium. Part of the John Deutsch University Centre (JDUC) was once the Students' Memorial Union, purchased by the university in 1927 and named in commemoration of students who died during the First World War. It still houses a memorial room.
To learn more about Queen’s and the First World War, visit the .
To learn more about The World Remembers project, visit .