Press Release

10 November 2011

New Carriage joins Remembrance Day Journey at The Kent & East Sussex Railway

The Remembrance Day Service on Friday 11 November 2011 will include the blessing of carriage SECR No. 3062 which is returning to railway service after 90 years. Withdrawn in 1921 the coach, together with three other coach bodies, had rather surprisingly been incorporated into a bungalow in Ashford, Kent before being rescued and moved to Tenterden in 1986. The carriage (pictured) will now form part of the historic carriage set which will travel to Bodiam on the 11.30am steam departure from Tenterden station tomorrow.

A Terrier steam locomotive will pull a carriage set formed of the Cavell Van, Birdcage and other historic vintage stock. The departure from Tenterden Station will follow a Service of Remembrance at 10.45am and two minutes silence at 11.00am. The service will also mark ninety one years since The Cavell Van carried the coffin of the unknown warrior.

The recently restored Cavell Van, an important railway legacy of the Great War era, will also be on display for one special weekend at Tenterden Station on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 November 2011, between 10am and 4pm. Inside, visitors can read the moving stories of Nurse Edith Cavell; Captain Charles Fryatt and the Unknown Warrior as well as watch newsreels with footage from The British Pathé Film Archive showing scenes from 1919 and 1920 of the three burial processions, as well as scenes of the trenches.

Built in 1919, its historic significance originates from its role in conveying the remains of three war heroes repatriated from Europe. The first of these sombre journeys from Dover to London was made during May 1919 when No.132 carried the body of nurse Edith Cavell. Thereafter, it became known to railwaymen as the Cavell Van.

Van No.132's most poignant duty came in November 1920 when it conveyed the remains of the Unknown Warrior – the war's highest profile casualty.

To purchase tickets for the remembrance day journey please visit www.kesr.org.uk The website also has details of when the Cavell Van will be open to visitors at Bodiam station in 2012.

Press enquiries to Caroline Edmunds at Pennington PR This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

or call 01892 616647.

Notes to Editors:

In her early career Edith Cavell served as a staff nurse at The London Hospital in Whitechapel, eventually moving to Belgium as director of a nurses' training school in Brussels. She remained there at the onset of the Great War, and was soon helping allied soldiers escape the Germans. It was only a matter of time before she was arrested; she confessed, was court-martialled and shot on October 12th 1915 for "assisting the enemy." She retained great dignity until the end - her final words ensuring her place as one of the war's foremost heroines:

"Standing, as I do, in the view of God and eternity, I realise that patriotism is not enough. I must have no hatred or bitterness towards anyone."

Two months after her repatriation, Van 132 carried the remains of merchant seaman Captain Charles Fryatt. As master of the SS Brussels, Fryatt attained popular acclaim in March 1915 when, heading for Rotterdam, his vessel attempted to ram U-boat U33 instead of stopping, as ordered. Forcing it to dive, Fryatt thus made good his escape. The following year, however, bound for Tilbury, his ship was surrounded by enemy destroyers, and boarded. Fryatt was charged with attempting to ram U33; he was shot after a show trial.