Micah returns from the NSW Premier’s ANZAC Memorial Scholarship tour

Year 10 student and 2019 NSW Premier's ANZAC Memorial Scholarship recipient, Micah P, has returned from his 16-day tour of significant historical sites and battlefields in France, Belgium and Germany.

The tour aimed to give students insight into Australia's experience of conflict and the lessons of war. It also set out to develop a greater understanding of the significance of the ANZAC tradition and the role it played in developing Australian identity.

Micah said he had an awesome time on the tour. He particularly enjoyed getting to know the other students.

“We are already planning a reunion”, he said.

In terms of the interesting historical sites Micah had the opportunity to visit, he found the war cemeteries much more interesting than he thought he would.

“It was a very moving experience,” he said.

Each scholar had to prepare a speech on one of the soldiers and then deliver the speech to the group in front of the relevant grave. Micah prepared his on Private William Lincoln Rae whose epitaph read 'Another life lost, hearts broken for what?’

“I thought it was interesting that his family chose an epitaph that was so critical of war. This was really unusual for the time”, Micah said.

(You can read a copy of Micah’s speech here)

Another interesting experience was attending the ceremony at the Menin Gate in Belgium.

The Menin Gate at Ypres records the names of 55,000 of the missing in Belgium, including 6,000 missing Australians. Every evening the Last Post is sounded under the memorial’s great arch.

“We got to form the Guard of Honour at this ceremony, which was an amazing experience,” he said.

As well as significant war sites, the tour group also spent a day in Paris exploring some of the tourist spots like the Eiffel Tower.

As a school we are very thankful that Micah was given this opportunity and very proud of the great ambassador he has been for our school throughout the whole experience.