An Exeter school has been selected by the Duke of Cambridge as a finalist for a national competition to design a permanent memorial to the football matches played along the Western Front during the Christmas Truce in December 1914.
Exeter's Southbrook School in Bishop Westall Road, has made the final shortlist the competition which is being judged by the Duke who is president of the FA, and Theo Walcott, the Arsenal and England player.
In all, 34 schools across the country made the final shortlist – and the winning school will be announced in September. The chosen design will then be made into a permanent memorial to be housed at the National Memorial Arboretum.
Alan Tilley of Southbrook School said: "The pupils and teachers were delighted to be short listed and it felt like recognition for their hard work. The actual design and plan was a result of many hours of hard work by a year 9 class, many with autism and complex learning difficulties.
"We used the resources from the British Council to research the Christmas Truce and brainstorm what we felt the memorial should look like.
"Within school we had spent a day looking at Devon in Wartime and had researched local soldiers who had died in the First World War. The creation of a memorial in school was a real talking point amongst all pupils and it allowed pupils to reflect on the events of war and to think about what peace and remembrance mean.
" To have our idea turned into a lasting memorial would be fantastic."
Sir Martin Davidson, Chief Executive of the British Council, said: "The football matches played in no man's land weren't organised or official, but they are remembered and offer inspiration to this day. We would all like congratulate the young people whose designs have been selected for this special exhibition."
