Students pause to remember

On Monday, 12 November, students at Nowra Christian School stopped to remember the many men and women whose lives were lost or who suffered as a result of war.

This year, Remembrance Day held particular significance, as it marked the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Armistace, the event which brought an end to The Great War. As Remembrance Day fell on a Sunday this year, students participated in dedicated Remembrance services on the following Monday, in separate primary and secondary assemblies. In the lead up to Remembrance Day, Primary students learnt about the meaning of the day and the history of the poppy as a symbol of remembrance. Each primary class made paper poppies and chose the name of a soldier from our local area who died during World War I and whose name is inscribed on the Nowra War Memorial. Students were given the opportunity to share personal stories and to reflect on the loss and sacrifice of these men and that of the men and women who have since passed away as a result of military service. The paper poppies were planted in front of the Australian flag, which flew at half mast for the duration of the service. We were honoured to have been joined by two special guests who attended both secondary and primary services. Mr Peter Williams, who is becoming a familiar presence at our ANZAC and Remembrance Day commemorations, played the Last Post and the Reveille on his battered 120-year-old bugle. We were also joined by Mr Barry Tait, representing the Nowra RSL Sub-Branch, who presented students with a remarkable book, “The Victoria Cross: Australia Remembers”, which documents the histories of the 100 Victoria Cross recipients who were recognised for significant acts of bravery. This book is currently on display in the front office and will be available for reference in the library. Special thanks go to Mr Williams and Mr Tait for their involvement and to Air Force Cadet, Courtney Nielsen, for looking after guests on the day.