WAR poet Wilfred Owen’s historic first steps in Edinburgh have been retraced to mark 100 years to the day since he arrived in the city.
Owen came to the capital from London by train on June 26, 1917, after being sent to the city to be treated for shellshock at Craiglockhart War Hospital.
A unique re-enactment event took place at Waverley Station and along Princes Street yesterday as a programme of events to commemorate the centenary continued.
Arriving at platform seven on the Caledonian Sleeper, Owen (played by historian and teacher David Clarke) was welcomed to the city by the Lord Provost and Lord Lieutenant of the City of Edinburgh, Frank Ross, and Norman Drummond, chairman of the Scottish Government’s First World War Commemoration panel.
The Caledonian Sleeper party were accompanied by Owen’s nephew, Peter, who also made the train journey to be part of the centenary commemorations.
The re-enactment was organised by Wilfred Owen’s Edinburgh 1917-2017 – a committee that includes representatives from Edinburgh Napier University, Scottish Poetry Library, Wilfred Owen Association, military charity Glen Art and Poppyscotland.
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