The centenary of World War One’s end is marked by reminders around Carlisle. Poppies adorn the Millennium Bridge and nearby lamp posts.

Tomorrow the city’s castle will host one of the most visible displays of remembrance. Thousands are expected to attend This Day in 1918: a recreation of what life was like in Carlisle and for soldiers serving abroad 100 years ago.

The free event is organised by Colonel Anthony Steven, Commandant of Cumbria Army Cadet Force.

Earlier this week The Cumberland News visited the castle as preparations were underway.

A flatbed lorry with a cargo of sandbags stood on the cobbles outside the castle.

The sandbags will find a home in the 160-foot replica trench which is one of tomorrow’s centrepieces.

Five marquees have been erected. They include a hospital tent with wounded and medical staff, all suitably attired.

Another marquee will sell John Watt’s coffee, as well as tea and cakes from the Women’s Institute.

McVitie’s biscuits will be sold, as will meat from Hallsford Farm Produce. “No burgers, obviously,” said Colonel Steven. “They are 1950s.”

A recreation of a State Management pub, run by Carlisle Brewing Company, is likely to be popular. It will operate under State Management rules, which were introduced during the Great War.

“That includes no treating [buying rounds],” said Colonel Steven. “And no women of disrepute.”

The event opens at 11am. Ninety-minute shows will begin at 11.30am, 1pm and 2.30pm, including a Salvation Army band and a drill demonstration by Cumbria Army Cadet Force.

There will also be a series of vignettes, including an injured beggar girl and anti-war Suffragettes.

About 7,000 Border Regiment soldiers died in the conflict. A team of veterans will read out all their names during the afternoon.

Donations on the day will go to the Royal British Legion.

“I’ve just finished the programme,” said Colonel Steven. “I went ‘Wow!’ There’s actually quite a lot going on. A lot of people have said ‘This is an awful lot of effort for one day. Couldn’t you put it on over the week?’ But then you’re into issues with insurance and staffing.

“If people have a week they think ‘I’ll go on Wednesday, or Thursday...’ and they never see it. How many people have I heard say ‘I never went to the poppies’ and they were here for weeks. We’re saying this is one day only. Miss this and you’ll never see it again.”

The event will begin with a recording of gunfire for one minute.

At 11am it will stop and a trumpeter will play the Last Post. There will be one minute’s silence broken by the reveille. Then Carlisle Mayor Jessica Riddle will officially open the event.

“I’m still looking at how we can stop the traffic [on Castle Way] for a minute,” said Colonel Steven. “That would be nice. It is very noisy.”

Halting traffic on one of Carlisle’s busiest roads is an ambitious aim, but this event has been built on big dreams.

“Initially the idea was a tattoo. Then this phrase ‘This Day in 1918’ came into my head. This is showing you can go from a standing start and take that right the way through.

“We’ve had an extremely positive response with more than 100 volunteers. We’ve had people ringing up saying ‘Can we be involved?’ People are genuinely very interested. It’s a very simple thing to sell. It’s the centenary of the Armistice. We’re taking the castle back in time 100 years.

“With things like the dramatisations, a lot of people have never done this before. A lot of people have said ‘I don’t know if I can do that.’ What’s fantastic is seeing them take that and run with it.”

The replica trench is the brainchild of former soldier Robert Lowther and Ronnie Papaleo, who has used his military expertise to build and supply props for many films.

The trench’s wood was supplied by the Ministry of Defence and TG Norman Timber: one of the many local businesses to support This Day in 1918.

The structure was constructed in sections at Kingmoor Park before being transported to the castle in flatpack form and assembled this week. An art department team will dress it with props and fake mud.

“I’m just glad it’s happening,” said Ronnie. “It will be emotional for people to see it. That’s the whole point.”

This wooden skeleton was being assembled with help from Carlisle College joinery students.

“One of the tutors mentioned it,” said Robert Somervaille. “We got brought in to start putting it together. It’s a good thing to do. I’d heard about the war before through school.”

College students have also created a replica of the castle’s front gates from a century ago, plastering and cladding a wooden frame to look like sandstone.

In the main the students did not seem exactly exuberant: perhaps they are more worldly wise than those teenagers who were eager to go to war a century ago.

“I think it’s important,” said Ryan Thompson, 17, of This Day in 1918. “The amount of people that died... we wouldn’t have the lives we have now if it wasn’t for them.”

Stephen Martin, a friend of Ronnie and a former soldier, was also assembling the trench.

“It’s a way to show a bit of respect to people,” he said. “All our families have got some interest. A lot of my family were in the Black Watch or the Seaforth Highlanders. Two were reported missing in the First World War and never seen again: my great grandad’s brothers. I’m taking a couple of days off work to do this. It’s not really much payback, is it?”

On This Day in 1918 is one of several events tomorrow comprising Carlisle Remembers 1918.

These include a period market in the Market Square. After 4.30pm there will be a torch-lit procession from the castle to the Market Square. Jessica Riddle will read the terms of the Armistice from the steps of the Town Hall.