chris basey Posted 11 October , 2003 Share Posted 11 October , 2003 REMEMBERING EDITH CAVELL who was executed by German Firing Squad at 7am on 12th October 1915 for helping British soldiers, and others, to escape from Belgium to neutral Holland on their way back to this country to give further service to their country. The Annual Memorial Service at her graveside at Norwich Cathedral today at 11am (Cavell rhymes with 'travel') Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsey Posted 29 October , 2004 Share Posted 29 October , 2004 I was today looking through a postcard album belonging to my Great Aunt, who was a nurse during the first world war and came across a post card commemerating Edith Cavell. ican scan and send it to you if you email me? Lindsey PS i dont know how to resize images to the correct requirments to post on this forum hence the suggestion of scanning and sending it to you direct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pete Wood Posted 29 October , 2004 Share Posted 29 October , 2004 Chris I forgot to post this. A friend and I laid a wreath here, in London, a couple of weeks ago.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsey Posted 29 October , 2004 Share Posted 29 October , 2004 Where is this memorial. i use to live in london and missed it!!! Lindsey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brindlerp Posted 29 October , 2004 Share Posted 29 October , 2004 For those who have not seen this website: http://www.edithcavell.org.uk/ Regards Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelley Posted 30 October , 2004 Share Posted 30 October , 2004 I have a first edition of "Edith Cavell's Imitation of the Christ", I have always been curious as to it's value. Anyone have any clue? She was a very brave woman, throughout her life and in her death. cheers Shelley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsey Posted 30 October , 2004 Share Posted 30 October , 2004 Shelly Pardon my ignorance, but is it a book you refer to?? Lindsey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelley Posted 31 October , 2004 Share Posted 31 October , 2004 Lindsey, Yes, it is Edith Cavell's prayer book, she had it with her throughout her time in captivity. She wrote in the margins, etc. After her belongings were returned to the UK, it was printed, but I don't know how many copies were made. cheers Shelley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andigger Posted 4 November , 2004 Share Posted 4 November , 2004 I know very little about Edith Cavell, but thanks to this new section I know where I can find out a lot more!! Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burlington Posted 4 November , 2004 Share Posted 4 November , 2004 A long time ago, I posted a message on this forum (can't find the message now!) about a museum at Zeebrugge back in the mid-1960's. There was a series of German pictures on the wall about the uncovering of Resistance workers including those who helped escaped enemy (to the Germans) soldiers. One was quite startling- snapped at the moment of discovery. I am sure this was Cavell but it was so long ago when I saw the pics, and no-one seemed to recall them when I posted the first message, then perhaps I am getting too old and my mind is going!! Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest flombardi Posted 26 November , 2004 Share Posted 26 November , 2004 This is an italian postcard (dated 1917) in memory of Edith Cavell. "Miss Cavell murder inspire the Kultur" Greetings from Italy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 27 November , 2004 Share Posted 27 November , 2004 Executing Cavell was a big propaganda setback for the Germans, but it is sometimes overlooked that they were fully entitled under international law to shoot her for what she did. You can argue that she was acting from humanitarian motives, but she was in German held territory, actively assisting the allied war effort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pete Wood Posted 27 November , 2004 Share Posted 27 November , 2004 Where is this memorial. i use to live in london and missed it!!! Lindsey It is across the road from the National Portrait gallery - about 5 minutes walk from Trafalger Square. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Reeves Posted 27 November , 2004 Share Posted 27 November , 2004 There's another monument to Edith Cavell - this one a wee bit bigger than the one in London (by about 11000 feet...) http://www.peakfinder.com/peakfinder.ASP?P...nt+edith+cavell Here's another view of the mountain as seen from Cavell Lake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris basey Posted 28 November , 2004 Author Share Posted 28 November , 2004 Geoff That's probably the best of all the pictures of Mount Edith Cavell in Jasper and thanks for posting it. What a way to be commemorated! I am told that a glacier in the USA also bears her name but, so far, my searches have not revealed its location. Can anyone help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Pigott Posted 28 November , 2004 Share Posted 28 November , 2004 ... they were fully entitled under international law to shoot her for what she did. You can argue that she was acting from humanitarian motives, but she was in German held territory, actively assisting the allied war effort. I've often seen this. Is it generally accepted? Can anyone give 'chapter and verse'? Just curious - it doesn't affect the heroism. Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Soul Posted 28 November , 2004 Share Posted 28 November , 2004 Executing Cavell was a big propaganda setback for the Germans, but it is sometimes overlooked that they were fully entitled under international law to shoot her for what she did Is this actually correct? I should have thought that since the German occupation of Belgium was illegal then any other law (military or otherwise) which may have condoned Edith Cavell's execution would surely be invalidated; ergo it was in fact a War Crime. Was there ever any attempt to clarify this issue post-war? Andy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 30 November , 2004 Share Posted 30 November , 2004 Executing Cavell was a big propaganda setback for the Germans, but it is sometimes overlooked that they were fully entitled under international law to shoot her for what she did Is this actually correct? I should have thought that since the German occupation of Belgium was illegal then any other law (military or otherwise) which may have condoned Edith Cavell's execution would surely be invalidated; ergo it was in fact a War Crime. Was there ever any attempt to clarify this issue post-war? Andy. How was it illegal? They were at war. By this argument, when the allies entered Germany in 1944/45, they were there illegally. I think that the outcry was because she was a woman and a nurse and because the British used it as an excuse to whip up an outrage. Anything to stoke the image of the "frightful Hun". I am not saying that they were wrong to do this, just that the point is missed. She was a very brave woman, because she must have known the risks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ypresman Posted 30 November , 2004 Share Posted 30 November , 2004 Here is her grave by Norwich Cathedral, which I pass every week..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Soul Posted 1 December , 2004 Share Posted 1 December , 2004 How was it illegal? When a belligerent nation decides to ‘colonise’ its neighbour and, to pursue that aim, allows its army to trespass into and forcibly occupy a neutral third country without provocation, then I should have thought that “illegal” is an entirely appropriate description. Andy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkristof Posted 1 December , 2004 Share Posted 1 December , 2004 There used to be a big monument at Uccle (Brussels) for her. There is even a medical institute called Edith Cavell: http://www.cavell.be/cavell/ There is also a street with her name. I don't know what happend with the monument now, because the national TV is there now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 1 December , 2004 Share Posted 1 December , 2004 How was it illegal? When a belligerent nation decides to ‘colonise’ its neighbour and, to pursue that aim, allows its army to trespass into and forcibly occupy a neutral third country without provocation, then I should have thought that “illegal” is an entirely appropriate description. Andy. I think you are applying post WWII principles here. I would have to track down the source on this one, but I think it illustrates the point. In WWII France, it was the practice of the Germans to shoot hostages whenever a German soldier was killed by the resistance. One book I read made the point that this may have caused outrage, but it was perfectly legal under international law - and no Germans were ever tried for war crimes for doing it. This seems wrong in our 21st century eyes, but was not so then. And nobody was ever tried for war crimes when the British "pacified" Iraqi tribes in the 1920s by bombing them. I simply do not think you can apply current ideas of morality to the past. You have to take it as it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pete Wood Posted 1 December , 2004 Share Posted 1 December , 2004 The invasion of Belgium was illegal. Fact. You have obviously never heard of a lady called Louise Emily Wertheim. She was caught spying (for Germany) in Britain and, while she could - according to the law - have been executed, she was instead sent to Broadmoor for 10 years. This case was judged just a few weeks after Nurse Cavell was shot. This was Britain's statement about morality at the time. Fact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 1 December , 2004 Share Posted 1 December , 2004 My concern is over the notion of war crimes and international law and principles were simply not the same in 1914-18 as they became after WWII and Nuremburg. For instance, one of the Nuremburg charges was "waging aggressive war", which was new. Regarding the lady you mention, if she was criminally insane, then Broadmoor was obviously the place for her. If she was not and it was simply a way of avoiding hanging a woman, then I do not agree with it. Men and women should be equal in law. Of course, the French shot Mata Hari! Cavell was guilty of a capital crime under German military law. Some interesting links: http://womenshistory.about.com/library/prm...dithcavell1.htm http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/cavell_deleval.htm http://www.greatwardifferent.com/Great_War...l/Cavell_00.htm http://collections.iwm.org.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.935 http://www.edp24.co.uk/Content/Features/Ed...0509Cavell1.asp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pete Wood Posted 1 December , 2004 Share Posted 1 December , 2004 Regarding the lady you mention, if she was criminally insane, then Broadmoor was obviously the place for her. If she was not and it was simply a way of avoiding hanging a woman, then I do not agree with it. Men and women should be equal in law. Remember that you said "I simply do not think you can apply current ideas of morality to the past." Wertheim was originally sent to Aylesbury prison. She was transferred to Broadmoor, some three years later, when she was later diagnosed as insane. Wertheim was guilty of a charge, under British law, that carried a sentence of death by execution. But Britain decided not to execute her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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