Ceremony of Remembrance and two-minute silence at Queen Elizabeth’s Girls’ School on Armistice Day

A Service of Remembrance on Armistice Day for pupils at Queen Elizabeth’s Girls’ School included a choral tribute by the school choir.

For a second year, pupils assembled on the lawn in front of the school at the junction of Barnet High Street and Meadway as part of QE Girls’ initiative to remind a younger generation of wartime sacrifices.

For recently appointed interim head teacher Stephanie Rodgers it was an opportunity to recall poignant memories around her grandfather’s death in the closing stages of World War II.

She read from a letter he sent to her uncle seven months before he died from wounds sustained during fighting in Italy – one of the wartime letters which gained national prominence when included in a VE Day service at Westminster Abbey.

The letter was written by Frederick Burgess on 1 December 1943 to his eldest son Freddie, who was eight and who became her uncle.

He asked Freddie to be brave, to help his mother, and to look after his younger brother Kennie – Ms Rodgers’ father – and the twins.

Her grandfather was so pleased to hear that Freddie had been helping his mother by running errands and doing little odd jobs.

“Congratulations on your good school report. I want you to try and be top in your class next time.

“When I do come home, and it will not be very long now, I am going to buy you something EXTRA SPECIALLY NICE for being such a good boy.”

She was so touched by the humour, affection and reassurance in her grandfather’s words as well as the reality of war and the uncertainty of when he might see his family again.

The final part of the story was that her grandfather “never came home” and was buried in Italy, “far from the family he loved and hoped to see again”.

 Ms Rodgers said she hoped that by sharing with her pupils an episode from her own family’s history they would recognise that behind every wartime photograph, name and date there was a real person.

A service of memorial at the school was the idea of associate assistant head teacher Mrs Amanda Campbell who wanted pupils to have their own experience of Remembrance Day and Armistice Day.

 For The Fallen, a poem by Laurence Binyon, was read by Sophia from year seven, and In Flanders Fields, a poem by John McCrae, was read by Maria from year eight.

In their choral tribute, the choir sang The Parting Glass by the Wailin’ Jennys.

After flowers were laid by Air Cadets Lucy from year nine and Ria from year ten, there was the last post and a two-minute silence.

Team Vicar Father Sam Rossiter led the Remembrance Day Service at the war memorial outside Barnet Parish Church and two-minute silence for Armistice Day.