Year 8 pupils returned to the First World War Battlefields of Ypres on Friday resuming a tradition that began nearly 25 years ago.
Beginning with a service of remembrance at Toc H in Poperinge located behind the frontline, the party toured the salient which saw some of the fiercest fighting on the Western Front.
Visiting the graves of two of the 69 Old Roffensians to give of their lives, the group also made stops at Lijssenthoek and Tyne Cot Cemeteries, as well as exploring authentic trenches at Bayernwald and the darkly sombre German Friedhof at Langemark.
Gusty winds made for a memorable return Channel crossing but these thoughts were subsumed by the sound of the Last Post signalled at the Menin Gate and the words of Sassoon’s verse read by torchlight at the grave of fifteen year-old Private Valentine Strudwick.
Related Posts
It has been a whirlwind few months for our Head Boy, John F. Following a thrilling journey documented in the Netflix docuseries Simon Cowell: The Next Act, our Sixth Form student has been revealed as one-seventh of the new British boyband signed to EMI/Universal, December 10. WATCH their live studio performance of NSYNC’s “Bye [...]
The annual Senior School Christmas Service, the highlight of the school calendar, is a spectacular occasion of light, sound and deep tradition within Rochester Cathedral. Lit by hundreds of flickering candles, the atmosphere was simply magical as the congregation joined in the traditional Service of Nine Lessons and Carols. The evening began with the [...]
The Senior and Junior Schools celebrated our annual Toy services this week. Mr Smith and Rev'd Ruth Pyrke delivered talks on the value of giving and how we can be a gift to one another. At the end of the services, during the final hymn, pupils brought up their toys and we were all [...]
