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Remembered Today:

Hero Land WW1 Exhibition 1917


Lancashire Fusilier

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Hero Land 1917.

I am interested to hear from members with any documented accounts, photographs of any exhibits, general photographs, posters and artifacts from The Hero Land Exhibition/Exposition which was held at New York's Grand Central Palace, from November 24 to December 12, 1917.

Two of the most prominent exhibits, were the British tank ' Britannia ' and the captured German U-Boat UC5.

As an advertisement in the November 24, 1917, New York Times noted: "Hero Land is a 16-Day Military Pageant, Theatrical Entertainment, Oriental Wonderland and Charity Mart; Devised, Created, Managed, and Financed by One Hundred Approved National War Relief Organization for the Benefit of American and Allied Relief."

"the object … is to bring home in vivid pictures to the American people some of the actualities of warfare as carried on by the Germans."

The Grand Central Palace itself was transformed. The first floor included a grand ballroom modeled after Versailles and the third floor was given over to a re-creation of the streets of Baghdad. There were reproductions of forts, trench lines, bomb shelters, and battlefields, including the British tank " Britannia " and a captured German submarine/U-Boat UC5. There was also entertainment: five moving picture theaters ( some showing actual war footage ), an ice skating rink, restaurants, bands, dancing, and shopping, as well as special events every evening.

More than 250,000 people attended Hero Land, creating a net profit of $571,438 (about $10.3 million today) to be dispersed among one hundred war relief charities.

LF

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British tank " Britannia " parading down New York's Fifth Avenue.

Britannia was on display at the Hero Land Exhibition.

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British tank ' Britannia " on the streets of New York. Walking in front of the tank is Captain Haig, and atop the tank are members of her crew in overalls.

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Two of the major exhibits at the Hero Land exhibition, were the British tank " Britannia " and the captured German U-Boat UC5, which for the Hero Land exhibition, was renamed U-Buy A Bond.

Here is an excellent photograph of the British tank " Britannia " at the renaming/Christening ceremony of the UC5 held in New York's Central Park.

LF

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Captured German U-Boat UC5 being unloaded in sections at New York Harbour, and paraded through the streets of New York, before being displayed at the Hero Land Exhibition.

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German U-Boat UC5 captured by the Royal Navy, and later put on display at the Hero Land exhibition, New York, USA.

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