Gallipoli Music Memorial 2015 (GMM2015) celebrates the little-known stories and artworks of combatants, such as the composer William Denis Browne of the Royal Naval Division (RND), who died in the Third Battle of Krithia, on 4th June 1915. The RND was based in Blandford Forum, Dorset, where nine schools worked with GMM2015 to create learning resources about the artists at Gallipoli and the postwar reconciliation between combatants. See pictures of Blandford Church which displays the ensign of Hood Battalion, RND, and the commemorative banner commissioned by GMM2015 in 2015.
Latest news
The 110th anniversary of Gallipoli
2025 is the 110th anniversary of the Gallipoli campaign. We are working on plans for the commemoration later in the year. As part of these plans, we will develop our partnership with the London Borough of Enfield Music Service to provide primary and secondary school classroom resources on the musical heritage of the Ottoman Empire alliance that fought in Turkey in 1915. This programme will build on Beating the Drum for Enfield’s Turkish Musical Heritage, our successful Heritage lottery-funded primary project completed last year. https://beatingthedrumn9.wordpress.com
Supporting a youth education project at the Museum of Music History (MOMH) March 2025
GMM2015 was delighted to support GCSE pupils from La Sainte Union School in Camden who travelled to the Museum in Haddenham, Buckinghamshire for an week of exploration, research, and performance. This inaugural youth education project provided the students with a unique opportunity to engage directly with the musical history of the early twentieth century, uncover fascinating stories, and develop their own presentations on significant figures and objects from the Museum’s collection.
Unveiling a blue plaque to William Denis Browne at the composer’s Leamington home 16th June 2024
Nick Peacey, GMM2015 Secretary, joined Judith Clarke, the Mayor of Royal Leamington Spa, in unveiling a blue plaque to his great uncle the composer William Denis Browne on Lynnwood, 23 Lillington Road, Leamington, the house where the family used to live.
Forty people, including four other great nephews and nieces attended. After the ceremony, Nick spoke about Browne’s story and achievements and Matthew Sandy (tenor) and Rebecca Taylor (piano) gave a brief recital (organised at short notice!), which included WDB’s songs Diaphenia and To Gratiana. It was a worthy celebration for Denis Browne organised superbly by the Leamington team, including Kay Sheriston and Margaret Rushton.
WDB, who had an excellent sense of humour, would have enjoyed this moment when things didn’t quite go to plan. Photo: A.Jennings
8th October 2021 in the Jacqueline du Pre Music Centre, Oxford
Dweller in Shadows:a Life of Ivor Gurney
GMM2015 was delighted to celebrate our Trustee Kate Kennedy's superb biography of Ivor Gurney, poet and musician, through two well-supported events with the Oxford Lieder Festival. Kate first demonstrated the profound influence of the Gloucestershire landscape on the poetry and music of Gurney, with fine performances illustrating the talk given by soprano Anna Cavaliero and pianist Natalie Burch. www.oxfordlieder.co.uk/event/1262 Later,tenors Robin Tritschler and and Robert Murray and pianist Simon Over performed Kate’s To His Love, a dramatised and moving recital that explored Gurney’s feelings and extraordinary achievements in war and in the sad years of his life as inmate of a mental asylum www.oxfordlieder.co.uk/event/1264
7th June, 2022 at Lauderdale House, Highgate
Commemorating Gallipoli: Art, Music,Poetry and Stories from the Frontline
The pianist Stephen Hose, actress and singer Alison Guill and historian Peter Hart showcased songs by FS Kelly and William Denis Browne and poems by AP Herbert.Peter Hart, author and brilliant speaker, told stories of the evacuation, the one Allied success of Gallipoli.
23rd April 2020
GMM2015 worked with Lauderdale House, Highgate, to defy the lockdown with a Zoom event commemorating the 105th anniversary of Rupert Brooke’s death in music, poetry and prose. Film of the event here; souvenir programme including all readings, the Q&A session and additional poems here.
GMM2015 is grateful for the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund South West
British attack at Gallipoli, 4 June 1915
© Imperial War Museums (Q 70701)
