Location
The Royal Armouries Museum
The battlefields of the First World War were a scene of unprecedented industrialised horror, swept by shrapnel and machine gun fire which destroyed men’s flesh. After the war, more men than ever before were left with life-changing wounds. Among these were the 41,000 men who returned to Britain missing one or more limbs. This huge increase in the number of amputees saw hospitals being opened solely with the task of helping these ex-servicemen, as well as more workshops for the production of artificial limbs being opened.
The lecture will examine the important work undertaken in these limb fitting centres and will offer insight into the prostheses offered to these men. It will take you on the journey from injury to being given a prosthesis, highlighting various types of prostheses on offer and what they could be used for will be highlighted. In doing so, it will broaden your understanding of the First World War and its legacy after the guns fell silent.
To sign up for the event, go to https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/online-lecture-prostheses-and-the-first-world-war-tickets-645904436557
Image: © IWM Q 33693