Edith Cavell to feature on Royal Mint's new £5 coin

Edith Cavell

The Royal Mint's new £5 coin commemorating the First World War will feature British nurse and Christian Edith Cavell.

Cavell, the daughter of a vicar in Swardeston, served as a nurse in occupied Belgium and cared for soldiers on both sides of the conflict.

She was executed by the Germans in 1915 for helping Allied soldiers escape to neutral Netherlands. She was 49.

On the night before her execution by firing squad, Cavell was granted Holy Communion and she told the Anglican chaplain, the Reverend Stirling Gahan, the words that she is best remembered for: "Patriotism is not enough; I must have no hatred or bitterness towards anyone."

article Related

After her execution, her body was returned to Britain for burial at Norwich Cathedral. Thousands turned out to pay their respects at her funeral procession.

The coin comes after members of her family petitioned the Treasury asking that Cavell be honoured on a new £2 coin. The petition was signed by 110,000 people.

Treasury minister Nicky Morgan said: "She showed true bravery by helping injured soldiers, regardless of their nationality, and it is right that she should be honoured as a British hero.

"She risked her life to help Allied forces escape and in doing so paid the ultimate price. It is important that we remember the sacrifices made by so many people in different ways during the war."

related articles
Christians in the First World War: Edith Cavell, the nurse who was executed for helping soldiers
Christians in the First World War: Edith Cavell, the nurse who was executed for helping soldiers

Christians in the First World War: Edith Cavell, the nurse who was executed for helping soldiers

News
English Heritage deletes debunked claims about pagan origins of Christmas Day
English Heritage deletes debunked claims about pagan origins of Christmas Day

English Heritage has admitted it got it wrong when it shared false claims that the date of Christmas is derived from a pagan Roman festival in honour of a sun god.

Guinness Book of Records recognises 'the world’s longest serving Sunday School teacher'
Guinness Book of Records recognises 'the world’s longest serving Sunday School teacher'

Pam Knowles started helping out her church Sunday school in 1951 at the age of 13.

The origins of ‘traditional’ Christmas celebrations 
The origins of ‘traditional’ Christmas celebrations 

Today in the UK we celebrate Christmas and the period around it with many familiar traditions and activities. There is an understandable assumption that we have always done things this way. However, celebrating Christmas has a long and complex history and things change over time. 

Venezuela stops cardinal from leaving country
Venezuela stops cardinal from leaving country

The cardinal has spoken out against the excesses of the Maduro government.