The luggage van that brought Nurse Edith Cavell back to England after the First World War is to feature in a TV feature about its return to Dover, Kent.

The van is one of the most significant railway vehicles associated with Britain’s Remembrance heritage, as, besides Nurse Edith Cavell, who was shot in the First World War for helping soldiers to escape, it also carried the bodies of Charles Fryatt and the Unknown Warrior; these were the only sets of British remains repatriated after the end of the First World War.

Channel 4 is broadcasting a series of TV programmes, Dover 24/7 – Britain’s Busiest Port, with the first programme broadcast on Monday, 22nd June. The programme featuring the Cavell van will be broadcast as the final episode of Series 2 on Monday, 10th August.

The Cavell Van is normally on display at Bodiam Station on the Kent and East Sussex Railway as a museum exhibit. The museum also displays a replica of the coffin that carried the Unknown Warrior and is a place for quiet reflection.

The Cavell Van played a central role in Dover’s Remembrance Day event last November. Its return to Dover was facilitated through a collaboration between the Port of Dover, Southeastern, the Kent & East Sussex Railway, and the Colonel Stephens Railway Museum, which also provided access for television cameras to record the story of the van and the people involved.

Since being repatriated, the Cavell Van has also visited the Severn Valley Railway.

“The return of the van to Dover was an incredibly moving occasion, and we’re delighted that this and its important story will be shared with a national television audience. It is far more than a railway vehicle; it is a powerful symbol of remembrance and service, with direct links to some of the most poignant events in 20th century British history. The producers recognised the emotional significance of the story, making it a fitting conclusion for the series. We hope that railway enthusiasts, those interested in history and the wider public will enjoy seeing this remarkable piece of heritage and learning more about its unique place in our nation’s story.”

Derrick Bilsby, Chairman of the Kent & East Sussex Railway, who attended the event with other representatives of the railway and the Museum, and was amongst those present during the filming