VILLAGERS young and old will honour one of their own killed at Gallipoli as the world marks 100 years since one of the First World War's bloodiest campaigns.
About 131,000 military personnel, including around 21,000 Brits, died as the Allies tried to capture the Ottoman peninsula, in an ill-fated advance that started a century ago tomorrow (April 25).
On Sunday (April 26), Brandon will honour John Jeans, who died in the Dardanelles on June 2, 1915, when a shell exploded in his dugout.
The Mid Durham Intergenerational Project, Brandon Carrside Youth and Community Project and Brandon and Meadowfield Royal British Legion Club have been working together to ensure he is remembered.
There will be talks on Gallipoli and on Private Jeans – who was part of the Royal Marines medical unit, a rendition of the Last Post and poems and songs.
Karen Gibson, from the Mid Durham Intergenerational Project, said: “John was one of many who died at Gallipoli, but he was ours, from Brandon, so we are remembering him with honour by taking part in The Last Post national events to mark the centenary.
“We hope to give people some more idea about the action at Gallipoli and how it affected both the individuals involved and our own communities using stories, poetry and music.
“Everyone is welcome and we especially hope older people will come along to support the young people’s work on this.”
The event takes place at the RBL Club, Back John Street North, Meadowfield, County Durham, on Sunday (April 26) from 2pm to 4pm. All are welcome. Refreshments will be provided.
The Gallipoli campaign is particularly well remembered in Australia and New Zealand, where April 25 is Anzac Day, named in honour of the 11,000 Antipodean forces killed in the campaign.
Among those was South Shields-born stretcher bearer John Simpson Kirkpatrick who evacuated injured comrades using a donkey.
The play telling his story, The Man and The Donkey, will be at The Customs House theatre from May 19 to 23.
Today (Friday), Prince Charles and Prince Harry attended a ceremony in Turkey and met relatives of Gallipoli veterans on board HMS Bulwark, County Durham's adopted warship.
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