Interwar, Europe, England, London, 1920
1920Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey holds the grave of an unidentified soldier who was interred in 1920 as a way of honouring the unknown fallen of the First World War. The selection of this Unknown Warrior was a seminal event in the history of the commemoration of war. It saw the creation of a global figure of mythical status who would be at the heart of the process of mourning and remembrance that followed in the wake of the terrible losses of the recent conflict.
In 1916, Chaplain David Railton conceived the original idea for an Unknown Warrior following a moving encounter with a wooden cross on the Western Front, inscribed 'An Unknown British Soldier'. In August 1920, Railton wrote to Herbert Ryle, Dean of Westminster, to propose the idea. Ryle was inspired and approached both King George V and the Prime Minister, David Lloyd-George. The King was sceptical but Lloyd-George was enthusiastic and succeeded in winning him over. In mid-October a government committee was formed to plan the scheme and orders were issued to the Army commander in France to select a body for return to the United Kingdom for burial on Armistice day, just three weeks later.
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Nearest geotagged records:
- World War 1, England, London, Victory March, 1919 (0.83km away)
- World War 1, Europe, England, London, 1914 (0.87km away)
- World War 1, Europe England London, (0.91km away)
- AWAS on Rottnest - WF96615 BARR (0.95km away)
- World War 1, Europe, England, London, Victory Parade, 44 Battalion, 1919 (1.74km away)
- World War 1, England London, 1919 (1.75km away)
- World War 2, Europe England London, Australian Army Nursing Service, 1940 (1.75km away)
- World War 1, Europe, England, London, Victory Parade, 1919 (1.75km away)
- World War 1, Europe, England, London, 1919 (1.77km away)
- World War 1, Europe, London, Coulter Hospital, 1916 (1.99km away)
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Australian Army Museum of Western Australia
Australian Army Museum of Western Australia
Other items from Australian Army Museum of Western Australia
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Pre-World War 1, Australia Western Australia, COWLEY, 1899
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Pre-World War 1, Australia Western Australia, COWLEY, 1901
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Pre-World War 1, Australia Western Australia, COWLEY, 1901
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World War 1 , Europe, COWLEY, 1916
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World War 2, Australia Western Australia, 1941
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World War 2, Australia Western Australia, HOFFMAN, 1941
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World War 2, Australia Western Australia, 1941
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World War 1 , Australia Western Australia, 1915
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World War 2, Australia, 1943
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World War 2, Australia, 1943
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World War 2, Australia, 1943
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World War 2, Australia, STATHAM, 1943
