New Exhibition of conflict in the Holy Lands now open at Museum

New Exhibition of conflict in the Holy Lands now open at Museum - The Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon

By: Mair Smith
Added: 15 December 1999

A new exhibition which explores a campaign of the Devonshire Regiment in the Holy Lands during the First World War is now open at The Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon.

The 16th Battalion was formed from volunteer yeomanry units and spent the majority of the war fighting in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign. The Battle of El Foka on the 3rd December 1917 was the biggest engagement of any regiment during the campaign, and the exhibition commemorates this battle which was the biggest single loss of life for the regiment with over three hundred casualties.

The Museum staff have worked in partnership with the ‘Away from the Western Front’ project to research and exhibit this overlooked campaign.  The exhibition looks to explore the young soldiers’ religious backgrounds and their potential emotional conflict of fighting in the Holy Lands. A new film which will be screened at the exhibition has also been specially produced, in partnership with The Plough Arts Centre youth theatre group, about the Battle of Jerusalem and the experiences of the soldiers during that time.

Executive Member for Parks, Leisure and Culture at North Devon Council, Councillor Dick Jones, says: “We are honoured that the Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon is able to present this free exhibition which is especially poignant as it showcases, for the first time, an important battle for the Devonshire Regiment on its 100th anniversary.”  

The ‘Holy Lands’ exhibition runs from now until 10 February 2018 and admission is free.

The Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon is open from 10am to 4pm from Monday to Saturday and admission is free.  Keep an eye the museum’s Facebook page to keep up to date with all the latest news and events.