August 27, 2014

UOW Reflects on the Great War

Stories from during the First World War will be shared via a series of presentations by local experts as part of an exhibition in recognition of the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the war in 1914.

Hosted at the Panizzi Room, UOW Reflects On The Great War, draws on collections from the University library archives, the Illawarra Museum and other local collections.

Associate Professor John McQuilton, a co-curator of the exhibition, said the exhibition is intended for those who may have little knowledge of the war beyond Anzac and Gallipoli.

“The exhibition tells the story the regional community during the Great War through artefacts, manuscripts, photographs and other materials. It shows the controversies and divisions evident during the war, and the cost of the war,” he said.

“It is often forgotten that communities were faced with the fact that this war brought with it the death of the young on a scale hitherto unknown,” he added.

On 3 September, as part of the presentation series, Professor McQuilton will speak about Gallipoli and the Western Front, a subject that the Professor covers extensively with history students who participate in the UOW Gallipoli Study Tour.

Presentations covering a range of subjects delivered by local experts from the University and local history groups, will be held every Wednesday until 3 October.

Other speakers include Illawarra Family History Group and Illawarra Remembers Coordinator Terry Bugg and Illawarra Historical Society and Illawarra Museum representative John Shipp.

On October 1, at 12.30 p.m., there will be a live reading of correspondence between soldiers and their families during the war by UOW Creative Arts.

“Exhibitions like this are important because they tell a fuller history of the Great War, one that not only involves the sacrifice and courage of the men at the front, but also the impact of the war at home,” Professor McQuilton added.

This exhibition is complemented by an online exhibition that brings together stories, images and objects to share local experiences of the war.

More information: http://www.library.uow.edu.au/news/index.html