Flanders Fields 14-18
Delen
Flanders Fields 14-18 is the official page from Visit Flanders to commemorate the First World War. More info: www.flandersfields1418.com
Today we bring you the story of Hannah Mitchell, who was born in October 1914 in London, England to parents Hannah and William. Hannah’s father served in the Boer War aged 16 as part of the King’s Own Scottish Borderers.
In 1914, as a reservist, he was called up to fight in France. He was wounded in a gas attack in 1915 and was unfit for active service afterwards. He later became a gardener but his health never recovered. He died in 1917 aged 37.
After her fathers death, Hannah's mother had to find work and therefore she had to be taken into the Waifs & Strays Society as there were no relatives able to help look after her.
Tubby Clayton, founder of Talbot House, Everyman’s Club in Poperinge came across her story and Talbot House offered to contribute £15 per year for her keep in the Society. He later wrote to the society to ask for a letter about Hannah's welfare to hang on the noticeboard and to thank the men of the house who had contributed.
Their support came at a time when the Society was caring for over 1,800 children whose fathers had either been killed in the war or were actively serving within the army.
Tubby and Talbot House didn’t stop there, they continued to fundraise to help pay for Hannah’s keep at the society. They placed collection boxes around the house and the local area. Even during hard times, when they thought they wouldn’t manage to raise the money, they continued to show spirit and support.
Hannah Mitchell became known as the adopted daughter or Talbot House. Her annual maintenance was covered for by the people of the house for three years.
After Hannah was taken in by the society, she was boarded out to a country village to a couple who had recently lose their own daughter. She became a missing piece in their family puzzle. When she was 12 years old, the couple legally adopted her.
You can still see the noticeboard where Tubby Clayton displayed the letter from the Waifs & Strays Society in the hall of Talbot House. Whilst you’re there, why not sit in the garden and enjoy a nice cup of tea?
Talbot House, Every Man's Club is situated in Poperinge and is open daily to visitors. A huge thank you to the team at .be for the video and story!
02/07/2026
How do people remember the First World War today? In Flanders Fields Museum is working on a new project to bring commemorative moments together through an interactive map.
Alongside well-known practices such as the daily Last Post, many smaller initiatives exist worldwide that are less visible. Bringing them together provides a broader understanding of how remembrance takes place today and how different contexts shape the way these moments look.
Anyone can contribute a commemorative moment, from a one-off gathering to a recurring ritual. In this way, a global overview of contemporary remembrance practices continues to grow.
Discover and share: https://www.inflandersfields.be/en/commemorative-practices-of-the-first-world-war
29/06/2026
During the First World War, the British Government developed a variety of methods in which to document the conflict, including using art. Artistic portrays served as a witness of the war but was also used as propaganda.
The first official war artist of WWI was Sir Muirhead Bone. He was born in Glasgow in 1876 and was most commonly known as an etcher and watercolour painter.
He was appointed as a war artist by Charles Masterman, Head of the British War Propaganda Bureau. His task was to make ‘appropriate war scenes’ which were to be used as historical record and for propaganda purposes.
In order to find material for his work, he was sent to the Western Front in June 1916. He was commissioned as an honorary lieutenant and produced hundreds of drawings of Ypres and the Somme.
During his time on the Front, he drew many images of Flanders, including the ruins of Ypres. His works were often drawn behind the lines and therefore depicted the impacts of war, rather than the fighting itself. Bone said he focussed only on what he saw, rather than what he imagined. His works also often featured architectural elements, as this was his field of interest.
Art, much like any creative outlet, is subject to interpretation. Many have questioned the accuracy of war artworks over the years. However it is thought that Bone was commissioned for his ability to accurately portray what he saw in front of him.
Sir Muirhead Bone went on to serve as an official war artist during the Second World War and was knighted in 1937. He died in Oxford in 1953.
📷 - War Drawings By Muirhead Bone: Tanks IWM © (Art.IWM REPRO 000684 7)
📷 - War Drawings By Muirhead Bone: Grand Place and Ruins of the Cloth Hall, Ypres © IWM (Art. IWM REPRO 000684 3)
📷 - Sir Muirhead Bone at work on the bridge (taken during WWII) Image: © IWM (A 1340)
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