Montgomery Remembers

Montgomery School pay their respects

At the Garden of Remembrance
2023

After once again supporting the Poppy Appeal in raising money buying poppies and other items, and making their own shortbread poppy biscuits to sell at school, on Thursday 9th November, children from Montgomery Church in Wales School also helped in remembering those of the town who fell in the two World Wars.

 

At a moving ceremony attended by Mayor Wendy Beaven, Deputy Mayor Claire Weston, Chair of School Governors Anthea Wilson, Revd. Mary Turnock, and ex-servicemen Captain Paul Hodgson, the school children mustered at the Garden of Remembrance to place 34 small wooden Memorial Crosses.

 

This has been a tradition since 2014 when the Gardens were extensively refurbished and the War Memorial was constructed and dedicated to mark the centenary of the start of WW1. Each year, children from the school note the individual names and details of The Fallen, which they carefully inscribe on small Remembrance Crosses, ready to be planted in the Memorial Garden facing towards the Town War Memorial. This year the whole school attended to participate in the ceremony in tribute to those who gave their lives.

 

Revd Mary Turnock told the children the story of a chaplain friend who had served in the second world war and had been helped by a soldier on the opposing side to take injured men to safety. She finished by quoting “a stranger is a friend you haven’t met yet” and explaining the importance of remembrance and peace.

 

Both Paul Hodgson and Revd Mary Turnock thanked the children for their contribution and engagement with what was once again a respectful and lovely occasion.

 

Headteacher Sarah Brian said, “We are always honoured to be invited to take part in such an important ceremony. We felt it important this year to take the whole school along, so that the importance of Remembrance Day is shared with the children from a young age. Our children, as always, behaved impeccably. They placed their crosses with great reverence and listened intently to Rev. Mary’s story. We are incredibly proud of the children and the show of respect they gave.”