A unique and moving centenary railway tribute to the thousands who gave their lives in World War One has been dedicated today (Tuesday 14 October 2014).
The specially-designed East Coast locomotive number 91 111, named ‘For The Fallen’, carries a livery filled with images, stories and tributes to regiments and people who served in them across the East Coast route.
The locomotive entered service on the flagship Newcastle to London and Edinburgh route this morning following a poignant dedication ceremony at Newcastle Central Station, witnessed by civic and military leaders and veterans and serving soldiers.
East Coast enlisted the help of five iconic regiments from key locations along the East Coast Main Line to commemorate the sacrifices made by their forebears, and to tell some of the human stories behind the conflict.
The insignia of the Tyneside Scottish, an honorary title currently maintained by 204 (Tyneside Scottish) Battery Royal Artillery of the 101st (Northumbrian) Regiment Royal Artillery, today became the first of the five to be unveiled on the locomotive.
Today’s event took place 100 years to the day since the official authority to raise the first battalion of the Tyneside Scottish was received, on 14 October 1914.
East Coast Managing Director Karen Boswell said: “The whole rail industry is rightly marking the centenary of World War One. ‘For The Fallen’ is East Coast’s individual tribute to those who went to war, and to those who made the ultimate sacrifice. This includes the 20,000 rail workers who signed up for the War, never to return.
“We’ve been working on this loco with five regiments on the East Coast route. It will take some of the stories, images, facts and history behind the regiments, and the Great War, to millions of our passengers across the country.
“What was to later become known as the Tyneside Scottish Brigade lost 1,010 officers and men on just the first day of the Battle of the Somme in 1916. This brigade suffered the heaviest losses of any brigade. So we are here today because we will not forget what they did. To quote from Laurence Binyon’s poem, For The Fallen, We Will Remember Them”
The rail industry is marking this year’s centenary of the outbreak of World War One in several ways, and East Coast’s ‘For The Fallen’ locomotive will be a visible reminder of the conflict, and those who shaped its outcome, to millions of passengers on one of the nation’s busiest long distance lines. No fewer than 700,000 people worked on Britain’s railways 100 years ago: 20,000 of them died after volunteering to serve in the Great War.
Within eight weeks of war being declared, 750,000 men had volunteered to join Field Marshal Earl Kitchener of Khartoum’s new army, many responding to Alfred Leefe’s famous September 1914 poster bearing Kitchener’s face and the statement ‘Your Country Needs You’.
Four Tyneside Scottish battalions were formed as part of Kitchener’s new army: it is estimated that a total of 2,286 Tyneside Scottish soldiers were killed during the war, the majority at the Somme.
Today, the Tyneside Scottish is an honorary title maintained by the 204 (Tyneside Scottish) Battery of the 101st (Northumbrian) Regiment Royal Artillery.
Lieutenant Colonel Philip Haigh, Commanding Officer 101 Regiment Royal Artillery, said: “I’m delighted to see the launch of East Coast’s eye-catching and fitting commemoration to the soldiers of World War One at Newcastle Central Station.
“One hundred years ago, Newcastle’s men were flocking to join the Tyneside Scottish. Today those searching for challenge and service join the Army Reserve’s 204 (Tyneside Scottish) Battery Royal Artillery in Kingston Park.
“The original Tyneside Scots fought in France with rifles. Their successors now use the army’s battle-winning Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS). Join me and become a Tyneside Scot just like your ancestors.”
The importance of today’s event to the city of Newcastle and the wider North East region was clear as civic leaders joined invited guests and passengers to witness the proceedings.
Major Eric Ingram, MBE, DL, represented the Lord-Lieutenant of Tyne and Wear, Sir Nigel Sherlock, at today’s dedication ceremony. Major Ingram said: “The naming of this East Coast locomotive, ‘For the Fallen’, is a fitting tribute to the men of the North East who gave their lives in the service of their country. It is a great honour to be unveiling this train’s nameplate as it embarks on its journey around the UK, marking the centenary of the outbreak of World War 1 and that conflict’s fallen heroes.”
Today’s dedication ceremony in Newcastle follows the introduction in 2011 of East Coast’s popular policy of train namings to promote the people and places, communities and heritage on its flagship route.
Loco 91 111 ‘For The Fallen’ joins sister East Coast electric locomotive 91 110 ‘Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’, which features the insignia of the Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (RAF BBMF) and its three famous World War Two aircraft – the Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster.
East Coast’s ‘For The Fallen’ locomotive will be at the heart of further events in the coming months as further regimental insignia joins that of the Tyneside Scottish in its unique and thought-provoking livery.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
World War One and the railway:
The railway played a major part in Britain’s war effort one hundred years ago, and was key to moving troops and equipment around the country. As soon as war was declared on 4 August 1914, the railway helped Britain’s forces to mobilise.
Transporting men and machinery from around the country to Southampton was a priority and on 10 August 1914, the first dedicated military supply train departed London Waterloo for Southampton. Over the next three weeks, a further supply train would arrive at Southampton every 12 minutes during a 14-hour day – and by the end of the month, trains had transported 118,454 army personnel, 37,649 horses, 314 guns and numerous vehicles and other luggage.
Although vital to the war effort, railway workers in their thousands enlisted to fight, and women stepped into many of their roles on the Home Front. With the exception of train driving and shovelling coal into the fires of steam engines, women went on to perform most railway tasks.
It is estimated that the railway lost 20,000 men during World War One, and many main line stations in Britain have a memorial to their sacrifice, listing the names of those who worked on the railway, but never returned to their jobs when peace returned in 1918.
The Tyneside Scottish in World War One:
Spurred on by Field Marshal Earl Kitchener of Khartoum’s September 1914 call for a new army, civic and business leaders across the country contemplated raising a battalion from their communities.
Three local businessmen, Trevor Ternan, Joseph Reed and Sir Thomas Oliver, began to recruit, and without funding from the War Office, they used £100,000 of their own money (equivalent to over £10 million today) to fund the new Tyneside Scottish battalion. Official authority for the raising of the Tyneside Scottish was received 100 years ago today, on 14 October 1914.
Two weeks later, the 1st Battalion Tyneside Scottish was complete with 1,150 men enlisted. More quickly volunteered, and by 5 November 1914 a second battalion had 1,158 men – joined by a third and fourth battalion numbering 1,169 and 1,920 men by 17 November 1914. All were ‘Pals’ battalions, where friends and work colleagues signed up to fight together.
In a little over a month, nearly 5,500 men had joined what had become known collectively as the 102nd Tyneside Scottish Brigade.
On 1 July 1916 at 07.30, the Tyneside Scottish took part in their first major engagement of the war, the Battle of the Somme. Two large mines were detonated either side of La Boisselle to start the attack. That first day proved the most disastrous of the Great War for the British Army, and the Tyneside Scottish suffered the most losses of any brigade. In all, 1,010 officers and men were lost on the first day, including all four battalion commanders, with 1,600 injured.
In total, it is estimated that 2,286 Tyneside Scottish men were killed during World War One, the majority at the Somme. Towards the end of the war, the 1st and 2nd Battalions were disbanded, with the 3rd and 4th transferred to other units of the Northumberland Fusiliers.
The Tyneside Scottish today:
Today, the Tyneside Scottish is an honorary title maintained by the 204 (Tyneside Scottish) Battery, 101 (Northumbrian) Regiment, Royal Artillery. Over the years the Tyneside Scottish title has been borne within various regiments including the Durham Light Infantry and the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) which held it during World War Two. As part of the Royal Artillery, it acts as a precision fires unit.
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