It has now become traditional for students at the Regent’s School, Pattaya, to join together during a special assembly, to pay remembrance respects. A select few students were then chosen to attend the British Legion’s Remembrance Day Service at St Niklaus Church on the 11th of November. These students acted as true ambassadors of the Regent’s School, carrying out important roles during the order of the service. The following is a report of the assembly, made by Year 9 students, as well as personal accounts of the Remembrance Day Service by the students who attended it:
Remembrance Assembly
Kristie Chow, Anuschka Pinto, and Helena (Year 9 History students)
On Tuesday the 9th of November, the Secondary students of The Regent’s School, Pattaya, participated in an assembly where there were wonderful drama performances and presentations all related to Remembrance Day, which takes place on the 11th of November every year.
Students and a staff member from The Regent’s School, Pattaya, at St Niklaus Church 11/11/10. (L to R) Francis Calalang, Max Kirschner, Mrs Sarah Travis-Mulford, Daniel Bowler and Ethan Northcutt.
In this assembly, classes did performances on what Remembrance Day was all about and the other classes acted it out. One student spoke about what Remembrance Day was and the symbol of war, the red poppy.
The poppy is a well known symbol from World War One; this is because the poppies were the only flowers that kept on growing despite everything breaking down due to the on-going fighting.
People remember Remembrance Day as the day World War One ended. Whenever it comes to the 11th of November every year, it is when everyone shows respect to those who participated in the war and since then, those who have fought in war for their countries. Many people show their appreciation by wearing paper made poppies. Many members of our school community were wearing the poppies during the assembly.
The assembly then took on an international perspective, with a consideration of how World War One was not the ‘war to end all wars’, but rather, the beginning of many more wars, even occurring right up until the present day.
The assembly concluded with a rendition of ‘The Last Post’, followed by a moment’s silence to pay our respects to those who have fallen in wars around the world.
All in all, the assembly was very eye-opening, and touched some members of our audience, who had lost family in wars.’
The Secondary Student Guild collected over 7,500 baht from poppy sales this year in school and is proud to be able to give this money to Bert Elson and the Royal British Legion based in Pattaya.
Remembrance Day Service, St Niklaus Church, Pattaya
Daniel Bowler, IGCSE History student
As soon as I walked through those doors, and walked across the benches to sit in my designated seat to give out the wreaths, I could instantly sense the change of atmosphere; it became cool and tense, everybody was there not to have fun – they were there to mourn the dead and injured of war. It was an amazing experience. It opened up my mind to just how devastating war is, and how it can affect anybody. The experience has given me a deeper understanding of how hard it must be for families to cope with mankind’s most destructive tendency – war.
Ethan Northcutt, Year 8
As this was my first time as an American to participate in a Remembrance Day Service, I was both excited and apprehensive. The aspect which I appreciated the most about the service was how the wars really came alive to me. Before, mention of the First and Second World Wars were just stories; but during the service, whilst hearing the poems and the speeches, I came to feel deep respect towards those who have fought for so much – men and women who have given their last breath for their country.
At the end of the service, the one thing that stood out the most to me was an extract from one of the poems which was read out:
‘When you go home, tell them of us and say: For your tomorrow, we gave our today.’
Remembrance Day… a reminder never to forget.
