A National Service of Commemoration is being held in the Isle of Man to mark the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of World War One.
The service will take place during the afternoon of Sunday 3 August at St George’s Church in Douglas.
Prayers and readings will be given by Bishop Robert Paterson, Archdeacon Andrew Brown, Canon Philip Gillespie, Reverend Richard Hall, Chief Minister Allan Bell MHK, President of Tynwald Clare Christian and Speaker of the House of Keys Steve Rodan MHK.
The service will be attended by invited guests, including representatives from organisations with a specific interest in World War One events, as well as being open to members of the public.
The Great War had a dramatic impact on the Isle of Man, not just in the considerable number of lives lost, but also in the profound economic, social and political upheaval experienced.
Official records show that 8,261 men enlisted in the armed forces, which was 82.3% of the Isle of Man’s male population of military age. Of these, 1,165 gave their lives and 987 were wounded.
Tourism stopped, ships and crews were commandeered for service and Island life was disrupted by men volunteering to fight and women moving away to work in munitions factories. The Isle of Man was also the location for internment camps for 25,000 enemy aliens.
The national service of commemoration, which will start at 3pm on 3 August, will be a focal point of community efforts to mark the 100th anniversaries of key events during the period from 2014 to 2018.
The Government website https://www.gov.im/commemoration features a section dedicated to the Island’s WWI commemorations, including an events calendar so that organisations can plan their activities and avoid any potential clashes.
