ROYAL Armouries Fort Nelson at Portsmouth is busy preparing to present ‘Wave’ by artist Paul Cummins and designer Tom Piper at its site in Hampshire, as part of the final year of 14-18 NOW’s UK-wide tour of the iconic poppies.

The sculpture will be at Fort Nelson from April 13 to June 24.

The presentations by 14-18 NOW, the UK’s arts programme for the First World War centenary, give people across the UK the chance to experience the impact of the ceramic poppy sculptures in a range of places of particular First World War resonance.

The tour has been made possible by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, the Backstage Trust, Clore Duffield Foundation, and the National Lottery.

Fort Nelson is part of a large ring of forts built to defend the naval base of Portsmouth, and one of five forts built on Portsdown Hill in the 1860s. During the First World War, it became home to some of Lord Kitchener’s volunteer army. The use of artillery became a major part of the soldiers’ experience of the First World War, and Fort Nelson now hosts large artillery pieces from Royal Armouries’ national collection of arms and armour.

The Royal Armouries is guardian of one of the finest national collections of arms and armour in the world with its origins based within the Tower of London. The Royal Armouries continues to have a presence in the White Tower at the Tower of London, at the National Museum of Arms and Armour in Leeds as well as at Fort Nelson.

Siona Mackelworth, interim public engagement director at the Royal Armouries, said: “We are delighted to be presenting such an iconic sculpture at the Royal Armouries site at Fort Nelson. Having seen ‘Wave’ presented at a number of sites around the UK, we look forward to seeing it rise from the impressive defensive ramparts of Fort Nelson with its stunning views across Hampshire and toward the Solent.

“The fort will provide an inspiring location for visitors to reflect 100 years on from the final days of the First World War.”

‘Wave’ and ‘Weeping Window’ are from the installation ‘Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red’ – poppies and original concept by artist Paul Cummins and installation designed by Tom Piper – by Paul Cummins Ceramics Limited in conjunction with Historic Royal Palaces. The installation was originally at HM Tower of London from August to November 2014 where 888,246 poppies were displayed, one for every British or Colonial life lost at the Front during the First World War.

Together, the sculptures ‘Wave’ and ‘Weeping Window’ are made up of more than 11,000 poppies. At the end of the tour they will become part of the permanent collections at the Imperial War Museum.

DAF Trucks are the transport sponsor for the UK presentations, and 14-18 NOW is partnering with DAF on making this historic project a reality. The learning and engagement programme for the poppies tour is supported by the Foyle Foundation.

For more details, visit royalarmouries.org.