First World War Centenary Battlefield Programme

Congratulations to Jacob Mayne and Quinn Boulter-Clarke in year 9 who won our trench building competition and so had the opportunity to represent Hastings High School as part of the First World War Centenary Battlefield Programme.

The aim of the national programme is to connect the pupils of today with the sacrifices of the past in these important anniversary years. As part of the 4 day tour, we had the opportunity to take part in the Last Post commemoration at the Menin Gate, visited important battlefield sites such as Beaumont Hamel, and experienced the powerful battlefield cemeteries including Thiepval and Tyne Cot.
Pupils also made a clay sculpture which will be part of the ‘Gone West/Reflections on the Great War’ art installation to commemorate the 600 000 soldiers who lost their lives in Belgium during the First World War. The name of each pupil will appear on a dog-tag with the name of a soldier who died, linking our lives today with past sacrifice.

The trip wasn’t all work though – we had the privilege of getting to know pupils from schools all over the country, and of course, eat a lot of Belgian chocolate!