PNBHS NEWS

Armistice Remembrance Service

 
Picture of Gerard Atkin
Armistice Remembrance Service
by Gerard Atkin - Monday, 12 November 2018, 12:50 PM
 

11.00am yesterday, November 11, marked 100 years since the end of the First World War.  This morning we held a service at school to remember the significant impact that war had on New Zealand and on our school community at the time.  As young men entered the hall in silence, the images of PNBHS Old Boys killed at war were displayed on screen.  The Rector, Mr Bovey, explained the impact that the First World War had on New Zealand and those who went overseas to fight or to support our servicemen.  Year 10 student Thomas van Stipriaan delivered an address in which he outlined how this traumatic experience helped to forge our national identity.  Both Mr Bovey and Thomas referenced the liberation of the medieval fortress city of Le Quesnoy, the last major action of the war to involve New Zealand soldiers. 

There is a strong PNBHS link to the liberation of Le Quesnoy, with the New Zealanders involved being under the command of Old Boy Harold Barrowclough, while another Old Boy, Harold Kerr, was the second man up the ladder and over the wall into Le Quesnoy.  Harold Barrowclough went on to become Major General Sir Harold Barrowclough, our most decorated Old Boy and served as Chief Justice for New Zealand from 1953 – 1966, while Harold Kerr returned to PNBHS as a teacher.

The Roll of Honour – the names of the 70 Old Boys of PNBHS who lost their lives in World War One – was read by Mr Stuart Leighton, a very poignant reminder of the significant cost of the war in terms of young men’s lives.  After two minutes of silence, Joe Inman played the Last Post and as a school, we sang the national anthem.

A Field of Remembrance was set up on the front lawn of the school; 70 white crosses each bearing the name, photograph and service number of our Old Boys killed in the First World War.

“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.”