Day of Remembrance

May 14th 2015

Earlier this month, girls from Year 9 had the opportunity to explore the First World War battlefields of Belgium.

On arrival, accompanied by guides from Anglia Tours, their first stop was Lijssenthoek Cemetery, the site of a military hospital, now a cemetery looked after by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. The cemetery plays an important part in remembering all those who died in the War with a wide range of different nationalities of soldiers represented. It also houses the grave of Nellie Spindler, a nurse, who was killed by a fragment of shell whilst working at the hospital. In commemoration of this, three Pipers girls read the poem “Hospital Sanctuary” written by Vera Brittain, herself a nurse in the First World War.

Following the cemetery the girls made their way to Bayernwald, the site of a reconstructed German trench system. The girls were able to explore the construction of the trenches and discussed the daily life of a soldier and the problems that they encountered while fighting in the trenches.

From Bayernwald the girls visited Essex Farm dressing station. This is where Canadian surgeon John McCrae penned the now famous poem “In Flanders Fields”, following the death of his friend. Here, the trip guides were also able to give the girls an insight into some of the stories behind those soldiers who died from the High Wycombe area, which really helped bring to life what the girls have been learning in class. In preparation for the trip Sophie S researched three of her ancestors who were commemorated in the area around Ypres, one at Dikkebusch cemetery, another at Tyne Cot and the third at the Menin Gate, the girls were able to visit all cemeteries and Sophia was able to lay a poppy cross as a token of remembrance at each site.

The girls were also taken to visit a very different style of cemetery, the German war graves at Langemarck. They learnt that following the war the Belgians were reluctant to allow Germany to have access to land to bury their dead. Instead the Belgians created four “concentration cemeteries”. In WW2, Hitler visited the site for propaganda reasons while occupying Belgium in 1940.

At the Passchendaele Museum, the girls were shown the uniform, equipment and weaponry used by the soldiers in WW1. Hannah O modelled the British uniform while Louise P modelled the uniform worn by troops from India. The uniforms were very unsuited to the harsh conditions soldiers fought in but the Lee-Enfield rifle used by the British was cutting edge technology for the time.

Following the museum the group had time for reflection at Tyne Cot cemetery, the largest of the war graves, before moving to Menin Gate for the Last Post ceremony. Phoebe R, Lara L and Jessica K had the opportunity to lay a poppy wreath on behalf of the school.

Mrs Tinnelly, Head of History said “Visiting the battlefields of Belgium is always a poignant experience and one the girls will never forget. As always the Last Post ceremony at Menin Gate was a very moving and fitting end to our day of remembrance.”