Killed, July 17th, 1916

The St. John's Players will be producing Killed, July 17th, 1916 in November this year. A special show will be mounted, at the LSPU Hall on Victoria Street, as part of the schedule of events for the Newfoundland and The Great War Conference.

The play tells the story of an idealistic young Englishman, Billy Dean, who became disorientated during an engagement with the enemy in World War I and wandered, dazed, back into his own trenches. As a result, he was tried and executed for desertion. The dramatic presentation of Billy Dean's story tells the tale of those executed soldiers who were never afforded the right to have the words "Killed in Action" inscribed on their headstones. It is a story of innocence lost and the realities of wartime tactics which raises the question, "Does the end justify the means?"

Fred Hawksley, who was part of the original writing team for "Killed" at the Belgrade Theatre Company (BTC) in England, is directing this piece. When he contacted BTC about performance rights he was surprised to find out that the company had been seeking him out for almost ten years. Apparently "Killed" is their number one requested script.

The play is a moving and powerful piece of theatre. It is particularly timely for several reasons. In July of this year the British Government announced its regret that it would not grant formal, legal pardon to those soldiers who were executed for cowardice and desertion during the Great War. For many, this represented the latest blow in an eighty year old battle. In making the announcement , British Armed Forces Minister Dr. John Reid asked the British people to "join with him in recognizing those who were executive for what they were: victims, with millions of others, of a cataclysmic and ghastly war." For the families of the executed, this statement fell short of the admission they had hoped for: that many of these men were not only victims of war, but also causalities of their own side's system of control by fear. In addition to the British controversy, closer to home, the performance of the play coincides with the Newfoundland and The Great War Conference.

The players are excited about the production no only because of its artistic merit and its social conscience, but also because it represents some important cooperative efforts for the group.

Tickets for the November 10th performance are available from the LSPU Box office at (709) 753-4531. While the performance is open to the general public, conference delegates can request the special rate of $7.00 per ticket. The production will also be offered at the Newfoundland School for the Deaf on November 5, 6, and 7 but the conference rate does not apply to these productions. Tickets for these shows can be purchased through the Arts and Culture Centre box office at (709) 729-3900.

For further information contact: producer Terri Andrews at (709) 753-2777,Director Fred Hawksley at (709)745-4369/(709)737-8259 or e-mail Derek deLouche at derek.rdl@nf.sympatico.ca.

The Newfoundland Museum will be holding a special reception/theatrical performance as part of the official opening of the Armistice Commemorative Exhibit. This is also the official commencement of the commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the Armistice. His Honour The Honourable A.M House, Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador, will be in attendance. The Museums Curator of Military History, Dr. Bernard Ransom, will give a brief overview of the exhibit.

After the opening ceremonies, there will be a wine and cheese reception and a special performance of Lesters Letters , performed by a group from the Barbour Living History Village from Newtown, Newfoundland. This is a dramatization of actual letters that were written by Lester Densmore Barbour to his mother, Mary Jane Barbour, during World War I. Lester died at the age of 23 from wounds received while serving at Passchendaele Ridge.

Friday 13th November 1998 - 8:00 p.m. at the Basilica of St. John the Baptist the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra present
Least We Forget

Three glorious works by classical masters, Haydn and Mozart and modern American Master Aaron Copland are planned for this Remembrance Day Concert. Marvel as master trumpeter Phillip Smith (Principal, New York Philarmonic) fills the Basilica with his brilliant tone and feel the chills of Mozart's Requiem.

Introductory comments:
Shelley Smith, Director Provincial Archives of Newfoundland and Labrador (PANL)

Presentation: War and Commemoration
Serge Bernier, Director, History and Heritage, Department of National Defense

Illustrated Presentation: Preserving the Memory
Daniel Wheeldon Secretary-General Commonwealth War Graves Commission (Canadian Agency)

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission will launch its website
Debt of Honour Register on 13th November 1998, though not during the Saturday session.
During the session on the 14th, the Commission will present working copies of records relevant to the Newfoundland war dead to representatives from the Provincial Archives of Newfoundland and Labrador, Centre for Newfoundland Studies, Memorial University of Newfoundland, the Newfoundland and Labrador Genealogical Society, the Provincial Resource Library and the Royal Newfoundland Regiment.

The Provincial Resource Library (Newfoundland Collection) is compiling an inventory of sources relating to Newfoundland and World War One at their institution. The guide, titled Newfoundland and the Great War, Selected Materials in the Newfoundland Collection, and complied by Brenda Parmenter, will be available to conference participants.

The Provincial Archives of Newfoundland and Labrador will be providing copies of Sources for Military Research at the Provincial Archives of Newfoundland and Labrador / compiled by Tony Murphy,Military Archivist, PANL.

Beaumont Hamel Public Plaquing Ceremony

Wreath Laying Ceremony

In conjunction with the activities for Remembrance Week and the Newfoundland and the Great War Conference, the various religious denominations within the city will be holding an ecumenical church service in honour of Newfoundland's war dead.