A creative and moving memorial is being crafted to Border Regiment soldiers killed during the bloodiest campaign of World War One.

Cumbria’s Museum of Military Life is taking on its most creative commemorative art project to mark the centenary of the Battle of the Somme which claimed the lives of 1,700 Cumbrian soldiers – a quarter of all those killed from the regiment throughout the course of the war.

The museum, based at Carlisle Castle, is being supported by Cumbria’s Women’s Institutes but is also asking people across the county to get out their sewing kits and knitting needles to create poppies in memory of the local men who lost their lives in the 141-day battle.

Each poppy made will be displayed from July 1 to November 18 in an art installation following the course of the battle fought in northern France.

Jules Wooding, learning and access officer, said: “This is the first time the museum has embarked on such a creative piece of commemorative art. 

"We hope that it will inspire people in our community to pass down the art of knitting and crocheting to their children and grandchildren as it was done 100 years ago – whilst also remembering the Battle of the Somme and the impact it had on our communities.”

The poppies will be sewn on to rolls of jute donated to by Cummersdale-based mill Stead McAlpin, which lost many of its workforce during the campaign. Any additional poppies will be sold in aid of the British Legion.

As the county marked the centenary of World War One Edna Armstrong, of Heysham Gardens, Raffles, was recognised for her crochet poppies. She made more than 200 and raised money for the Royal British Legion by selling them for £1.50.

This project aims to provide a sobering reminder of the impact of the Somme campaign on the population of the UK.

The WI has agreed to support the initiative by encouraging members to make poppies and assisting with the making of poppies at community events from April to October.

During the war, communities at home knitted and crocheted comforts for soldiers to help against the cold. The project aims to recreate the same support.

Appeals in the press encouraged people to take up their knitting needles and support the war effort. Patterns were published in magazines, organisations began knitting and collections of knitted garments were arranged to send to the front.

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Patterns for the poppies are available at www.cumbriasmuseumofmilitarylife.org