Between 1914 and 1919 millions of troops suffered and died in the mud and blood of battle. Millions more returned, their minds broken by trauma. In the aftermath, those who had lost loved ones often struggled with the injustice of extreme poverty and hardship. Or those who did return had lives blighted by deep-seated trauma and loss. To this day, many descendants of those families still suffer the consequences, bearing the emotional scars passed down through generations.
Lochnagar Crater Foundation
An international movement to help heal the inherited and emotional wounds of war, for those wishing to channel their compassion into innovative action.
Those millions who gave their lives in the Great War were each striving for peace – for themselves, their families and their countries. Yet over 100 years later, we still have a turbulent and divisive world, still in desperate need of peace. We now urgently need to do more than just formally remember them once a year. We, as individuals, can’t bring peace between nations, but together we can still bring a little more peace into our own lives, and into the lives of those around us. In their honour.
Together, we can make a difference
That intense, sustained suffering has shaped us and our society, and still does, often buried beneath the surface. At times of personal or social stress it may come to the surface, often creating division, discord and disunity, polarised by politicians and growing extremism to the level that it is now a crisis.
We today cannot affect the world, or nations, or millions of people. But together, we can each do something positive that affects our world and the world of those around us.
We now invite you to make a personal commitment to those around us – our families, our friends, our workplaces and our communities.
The Lochnagar Promise For Peace:
‘In Remembrance of all those
who have suffered in conflict,
and of those who are suffering still,
may we live our lives today with more
Compassion and Kindness,
Understanding and Forgiveness,
Reconciliation and Unity.
Let us now, in their honour,
wage Peace.’
You can follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram or email us direct on info@lochnagarcrater.org
Lochnagar Crater July 1916 Drvr Ernest Charles Barnes 1st Field artillery Bde 21st Howitzer Bde
The unique Lochnagar Wreath of Reconciliation
At all of our ceremonies, we lay The Lochnagar Wreath of Reconciliation, commemorating the fallen of all the main combatant nations – Great Britain, France, Germany, Rep. of Ireland, Belgium, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, South Africa, East and West Africa, West Indies, Austria, Hungary, Turkey, Italy, Japan, Portugal, the Balkans, Russia and China.
The Lochnagar 1,000 White Lilies of Peace
During the centenary ceremony at Lochnagar on November 11th 2018 we placed almost 1,000 white lilies of peace on the imposing 16 foot Lochnagar cross. We also read out the names of 100 soldiers, sailors, airmen and nurses from all the main combatant nations.
