Hertfordshire at war

A great exhibition at Hitchin British Schools Museum takes visitors back 100 years to the First World War. By following the experiences of real soldiers, it's possible to experience something of what our troops went through.

The recreation of a trench is chilling, except for the probably unrealistic cleanliness. I suspect most trenches were much dirtier and smellier than this one. When visiting the battlefields of France and Belgium, I've seen trenches which have been restored in situ, but it does no harm to have even a sanitised reminder.

I'm a great fan of the poetry of Wilfred Owen, Siegfried Sassoon et al, and this recreated trench doesn't come as close to bringing it home as their work does.

The wider exhibition tells the stories of people at home and at war, of men and women and how the war touched them. As we approach 100 years since the final end of fighting, it's always worth remembering the people who lived through it and those who died as a result of it.