AN exhibition at a York university is helping to bring fresh understanding to the human experiences of war.

Faith and Healing Under Fire Memorial Exhibition, is currently on display in York St John University’s chapel, dedicated to the chaplains and nurses who lost their lives as a result of the conflict in Normandy during the Second World War.

It showcases research conducted by history and American history students from their history, community and culture module. Visitors will be able to see original Second World War artefacts and items carried by fallen heroes who served in American, British, Canadian and Polish forces. Display panels offer insight into how research was conducted by students, as well as meaningful stories and context for the artefacts and photographs exhibited.

Dr Gary Rivett, senior lecturer in early modern history at York St John said: “The Fallen Heroes of Normandy exhibition is an excellent example of how our history and American studies students take their historical skills and knowledge out beyond the campus, helping to prepare them for life when they leave university.

“Our longstanding commitment to encourage students to reflect upon their working experiences ensures they end their degrees having developed a high degree of self-awareness and critical consciousness about themselves, the world around them, and their place in it.”

The exhibition will run until Saturday, November27 and opening times can found on the exhibition event page of the university website.

This exhibition coincides with the upcoming inaugural War Studies Research Group event on Wednesday, December 1. York St John lecturer in political science Dr Carla Barqueiro will lead the University’s event with nuanced discussion about elements of human conflict that are often not discussed in strategic discussion of war and presenting a human security perspective.

This event is open to everyone, inviting those interested in conflict and international relations research to join on Zoom, 5pm to 6pm. Register online and find out more on Eventbrite.

Meanwhile students from North Yorkshire independent school, Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate (QE), took on the ‘QE to Dunkirk’ Challenge on Remembrance Sunday to raise money for the 2021 Poppy Appeal for the Royal British Legion. Together, with support from staff and their peers, the students travelled the distance from QE to Dunkirk (544km) using indoor cycle machines and rowing machines.

And in York pupils at St Peter’s School have created a striking set of silhouettes representing members of the armed forces past and present.

They were created in response to a competition to design a Remembrance Day Memorial for the school campus, launched in November 2020. The aim of the project is to honour former pupils from St Peter’s School, known as Old Peterites, who have served across all the forces, as well as marking the 40th Anniversary of the Falklands War.

Upper Sixth Form pupils Hannah Costin and Hope Simpson created the winning design: a series of silhouettes showcasing the diverse roles across the forces throughout history. Eleven pupils volunteered and worked together to create the figures, as part of the Design & Technology Department’s co-curricular club MAKERSPACE, and the project has been partially funded by the Old Peterite Club.

Throughout November, the figures will be located around the school campus, and the figures and plaques will be lit each evening.