GLOUCESTERSHIREAND RACINGREMEMBER
The final day of The November Meeting will see Gloucestershire and the sport of racing remember the centenary of the First World War Armistice N ovember 2018 Armistice, the ceasefire that ushered in the end of the First World War which was concluded at Versailles a year later. Gloucestershire made a huge contribution to supporting the war effort on the Home Front. The contribution of the horse, the racing industry and the role of Cheltenham racecourse therefore marks an important anniversary for Cheltenham as it’s the centenary of the signing of the makes it a fitting venue to commemorate the centenary. With racing suspended during the war, the racecourse was used as a Voluntary Aid Detachment Hospital. Staffed by volunteer nurses, it began the slow task of rebuilding the lives of men
of uniformed Glosters will lead a parade from the railway station up the racecourse accompanied by a military band, a mounted contingent of the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars will lead an act of remembrance in the parade ring, there will be a demonstration of aerial combat by biplanes of the era, and vehicles and equipment from the battlefield will be on display. Displays from across the county will explain the history of casualty management, medals, uniforms and equipment, local war poets, the contribution of racing to the war effort, the birth of the RAF, photographs of munitions and aircraft factories and much more. To supplement the atmosphere of the day, the racecourse is inviting the public to dress in the manner of 1918. So we hope there will be plenty of gaiters, flat caps and wide-brimmed hats on display too.
wounded and gassed in the conflict. Over 3000 soldiers passed through the racecourse hospital and thousands of horses were gathered from the county. Although their place on the front line was increasingly superseded by technical arms, Allenby’s successful cavalry campaign in Palestine, in which the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars played an important part, was the exception. The Lieutenancy of Gloucestershire and the racecourse have combined their energies to offer a fitting day of remembrance on Sunday November 18 where racegoers will remember the people and horses of the county who made sacrifices to achieve an allied victory. The racecourse gates open at 10.30am so that the public can enjoy some spectacular pre-racing displays. A party
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