The Grange Remembrance Reflections 2020

To commemorate Remembrance Day, Grange students were asked for their reflections on why this event was important‌

Remembrance means silence, commemoration and reflection to me. It is a time not to focus on the present, but to think about the tragic past and what has shaped our lives today.

Abhi, Year 7

Tristan, Year 7

On the 11th we remember the heroes who sacrificed their own lives to shape ours for the better. If you know someone who was affected by the war or even if you don’t then the life that you live now has been shaped by their bravery and commitment for the greater good to the of our country. They put their lives on the line for the people that they loved, so on the 11th, we ask you to wear your poppy and bow your heads in unity and remember the people who fought for the future but also the people who are fighting now.

Ewan, Upper Sixth

Remembrance is more than a poppy and two minutes of silence. It lasts longer than just the 11th November and for so many people is a constant part of their lives. It is a chance to come together even when apart and remember those who came before us, those that risked their lives for the benefit of the future and for a chance at both peace and freedom. Whether you know of a personal connection or not, all of our lives have been shaped by those we remember.

We pause to honour the sacrifices and contributions made in the hope of a better tomorrow, not just in the past but for all current conflict too.

Emma, Upper Sixth

Troy, Year 7

I remember my first Remembrance Day service. It was in our village and we laid a wreath for 6 men who had lived in the village and who had died in the First World War. There was a bugler who played the last post and an elderly man in uniform with medals read a famous piece that ended “we shall remember them�. In the weeks leading up to it, the villagers knitted poppies and my most vivid memory is of the waterfall of knitted poppies that decorated the centre of the village. I still have one that the elderly man gave me.

Wills, Year 7

Remembrance Day is to be thankful to all those people who died, were injured or served during the wars.

Vibha, Year 8 For me, people risked their lives and fought for every single one of us, despite us being of different race or gender, and many died. Think of them as a group because that’s what they were. They fought so hard and lost so much, they at least deserve this.

Sanjana, Year 8

Every year for Remembrance I go to a church memorial which is where my Dad takes a remembrance service. This year as we can’t meet together I will be filming my Dad take the service as people tune in from home. I always wear a poppy to remember the people who sacrificed their lives to the country.

James, Year 7 Isla, Year 8

Katie, Year 8

To me, Remembrance means to reflect on the many lives that have been and continue to be lost in order for us to have the freedom that we have today. It is an opportunity to appreciate the sacrifice of soldiers who fought for our country and to show respect and thanks. We wear poppies and donate money to the charities that support out armed forced. We all gather together and pause for a two minute silence on 11th November and remember our heroes.

Lydia, Year 7

Ash, Year 9

Zach, Year 8

Evie, Year 10

For me, Remembrance Day is all about praising those Skye, Year 9 who protected our country. It is a day where I can pay my respects to all of those heroes by participating in the two minute silence and wearing a poppy. Also, Remembrance Day is not just bout the men, but the women too. They constantly worked behind the scenes. All of them struggled for their country and this makes me feel truly honoured that we celebrate that special day.

Sara, Year 7 In your minute silence Think about the people that died.

Do not forget the animals, The horses that jumped And the pigeons that fly.

The animals helped us in ways you did not know.

They sniffed out bombs, They took messages.

They trusted us.

Most importantly died for us.

And we need to respect that.

Charlie, Year 7

Toby, Year 8

Sophie, Year 7 William, Year 7

Sam, Year 7

Peter, Year 7

Hari, Georgie, Year 9 Year 7

My great grandad was a prisoner of war during WWII and went through a lot of pain and suffering, this was the same for many more, my great grandfather died 2 years ago at 95 years old, but many weren’t as lucky as their lives were cut short by the war, let’s remember these times and make sure this never happens again.

Aidan, Year 7

My great grandfather died in World War 2 so I am sad for my grandfather as I know they were close, as I am to my him.

I couldn’t imagine him not being here.

Evie, Year 9

As Remembrance Day is coming up, it helps me remember my great grandad who lived to 94 and my great grandma who lived to 99 and died 6 months before her 100th birthday. They both served in the second world war my great grandma stationed in the Isle of Man and my great grandad served in the navy and his ship was torpedoed by the Germans near Malta they both lived through the war, my brother and I both always by a poppy, snap band and something similar, to show our support to people in the armed forces and to remember our great grandparents.

Ben, Year 7 I remember that my grandparents always got emotional when it was Remembrance Day, because it gave them flashbacks of one time where they heard screams from a bombed manor when they were young.

Daniel, Year 7 Remembrance Day reminds me of how lucky I am to be alive and how grateful we should be of our ancestors. It reminds me of this as a distant relative got shot however was saved by a single penny in his pocket. Without that penny I would never have been born.

Louise, Year 8

Olive,Year 8

Max, Year 8

Remembrance Day is special to me because of my Grandads (great). One died in World War II and I have a dead penny for him and for my other grandad. One survived on a naval ship.

The other fought in France. I commemorate this with a poppy.

Luca, Year 8

Chloe, Year 7

My Great Grandfather fought in the Second World War. He was a courageous, kind and always loving warrior. Every Remembrance Day, my family reflect on a quote that he taught: ‘I may have fought in the war and people call me heroic, but I am still alive and well today. The true heroes are those who died in pride to save our country.’ Every poppy that we wear symbolise each soldier that relentlessly fought and saved our future. My Great Grandfather is my role model and the soldiers that sacrificed their lives are my heroes. This Remembrance weekend, I take the time to recognise, appreciate and honour the soldiers who fought in courage to save us today.

Lucy, Lower Sixth

Sophie, Year 8

My great grandad fought in WWII and even though I never met him, I think of him whenever Remembrance Day is mentioned.

My grandad showed me his medal that his father got from fighting in the war. I also think of poppies, poetry, silence and loss when I think of the war.

Sophie, Year 9

On Remembrance Day I like to remember all the soldiers that fought in the wars, but also I think about all the medical people who looked after the wounded. My great-great aunt was a nurse in the first world war. Like many women she lost her fiancé in the war, but she nursed many, many soldiers and hopefully made some of them better. She was not famous like Vera Brittain but I’m proud of her.

Peter, Year 7

Remembrance is important to me because both of my great grandads fought in WW1, my Great, Great Uncle Fred was killed on HMS Defence in the Battle of Jutland in WW1 and my Grandad fought in WW2 on D-Day and the invasion of Holland shortly after.

My Great Grandad was a dispatch rider in WW1 (delivered messages via motorbike) and my Grandad was in an American tank battalion. My Great, Great uncle was a first class stoker on the last armoured cruiser ever built by the British – HMS Defence.

Below right is a photograph of me and my dad placing a wreath on the battle of Jutland naval memorial in Plymouth in memory of Great uncle Fred.

Cameron, Year 7

Eva, Year 7

Two Minutes for Grandad Ray The chiming clock strikes out eleven, And all the world stands still, For soldiers who returned from war, And those who never will.

But my two minutes is for something more, It’s for my Grandad Ray, Who was 10 years old at the time, He celebrated VE Day.

Emily, Year 9 Mahi, Yr 7

The war was not a place for kids, When he went to bed one night, The German’s bombed the street where he lived, Which gave him such a fright.

Georgia Year 7 Izzy, Year 8

Although his childhood years were spoilt, With rationing and fear, My Grandad leaves the worst behind, And remembers the best each year.

Although his memories are fading now, His life at times was choppy, My Grandad loves Remembrance Day And always buys a poppy.

Geethan, Year 8

So, as I stand with pride and love, And wait for the chimes to start, These two minutes are for Grandad Ray, Who is always in my heart.

Ellie, Year 7

Benji, Year 8

Bertie, Year 7

I am still I am calm I am quiet I am wearing a poppy today

I know that my great grandad fought in the war and was lucky enough to survive.

I am thinking of soldiers and families And of times they were far away

I know that I’m fortunate to be here today, as a free human being.

I am still I am calm I am quiet I am wearing a poppy today

Charlotte, Year 7 I am thinking of all the fighting And the peace we have today Alfie, Year 7

I know that many never came back from the war.

I know that there will always be brave people to protect and serve our country.

I know that we will remember them.

Miranda, Year 9

Finn, Year 7

Beatriz, Year 7

Evie, Year 8

Megan, Yr 7

Harriet, Year 8 In World War 1 lots of people lost their lives, Even if they were not fighting in the war, But all these people helped to win and bring back safety, And I could not be happier to be safe, So, I thank all those who had died at the time of the war, For helping to keep Britain safe, And if you had not been there, The England would be a completely different place.

Isabel, Year 8

Helena, Year 7

Poppies are beautiful flowers, and we wear them in honour of the men who fought in the War. November 11th at 11 am is the time that we are silent for a minute to remember those who fought for the country Who kept us safe, Who fought for England, For the peace of the entire world once again, That is what Remembrance Day means to me.

Grace, Year 7

Laurel, Year 8

The war has come, Soldiers from everywhere Proud to serve their country Their minds high with pride Excitement and patriotism There was no thought of where the end was Or of the destruction and death ahead The hunger, the sadness, the poor and the ill And endless screams from their deathbed.

They fought for protection and honesty, Of their country’s rights and freedoms We remember all of those who fought, So we wear a poppy in thought We give recognition to the many willing soldiers Who endured their fears So that the future could live in peace We wear the poppies in appreciation For those who fought to vain To show that we are proud of the soldiers Who risks their lives to stand For our peace and freedom If it’s the least we can do, if not for them What dismay would the world hold today?

Lilia, Year 7

Sophie, Year 8

Thea, Year 11

Remembrance Day is a day to remember the brave souls who sacrificed and fought for the next generations. The least we can do is honour their sacrifice. Though not all memories are bad, we can look back and see how wonderful and organised our country is. We are free people because we were looked after by being worthy of that sacrifice. We were thought to be loved, sacrificial but most importantly valuable. Let that sink in‌We were thought to be valuable, worthy and loved. We were even loved before we were born.

Those soldiers, then and now, are strangers who love us. Strangers‌ that love us. Strangers that love, sacrifice and fought for us. I think the least we can do is honour and remember them. Maybe we could try and love them back.

Sorcha, Year 8

I personally don’t have someone who fought in WW1 but many, many other families have relatives that have fought, died in the war. I believe that Remembrance day is very important because we are respecting how the world is today thanks to the incredibly brave people. It is only since lockdown that I really realised how horrible it must have been for everyone but the soldiers (I already knew how terrifying and traumatic it would have been for them). They would have had to live in fear of being killed for years and many more things.

Daniel, Year 8

Holly, Year 7

Remembrance is the evolving gratitude and respect to those who have lived in the past. As generations pass, and we grow further and further away from the wars. Future generations will not understand the importance of remembrance. We must prevent this from happening. When my grandchildren’s, grandchildren ask of the wars. What will be said?

Elisabeth, Year 11 Ed, Year 8

Dylan, Year 7

The bravery and selflessness of the soldiers that fought for us in the war has shaped the world we live in today. The sacrifices that were made and the pain that was and still is endured by soldiers and their families in order to restore peace for future generations is something we must never take for granted. Whilst Remembrance Day gives us the opportunity to acknowledge this, the blood sweat and tears faced by soldiers for our benefit is something that touches every day of our lives and we must appreciate this.

Simar, Upper Sixth

Milo, Year 7 To me, remembrance is celebrating all the brave soldiers who risked their lives for our country. It also means wearing the poppy and the one minute silence.

Xanthe, Year 8 Remembrance day reminds me of the ones we lost, of the sadness and tears but of the happiness and smiles. It reminds me of the brave soldiers who fought and the ones who lost their lives. In the two minutes silence I take the time to think of all these things, I hope everyone else does too.

Elizabeth, Year 8

Rebecca, Year 7

What do we remember on Remembrance day? We remember people, animals, victory, loss of people and heroes. There a few different types of poppies red, purple and white .Youve probably heard of the red poppy maybe the purple. The purple means the remembrance of all the animals that died in the war, the white poppy means that the person doesn’t want to remember the war they want to remember the dead people. We can’t just remember the men we also need to remember the women who served and healed the injured men on their side.

What is the future for remembrance when all the people who fought the war have died? It would be harder to remember because they could tell us what it is like. What will remembrance day look like then ?

Rachel, Year 8

Thomas, Year 7

We will remember They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.

We will remember them.

Devon, Year 8

Natasha, Year 11

Ptolemy, Year 8