Across Bolton School, pupils and teachers came together on Armistice Day to commemorate the lives lost during the First and Second World Wars, and all those who have died in conflicts since then.
The Boys’ Division held a special assembly to commemorate the Armistice, led by Dr Holland and attended by Old Boys of the school. In addition to the traditional two minutes of silence, current pupils shared the stories of Old Boys who gave their lives 80 years ago in 1944, during the Second World War.
This year, the tributes were for Ordinary Seaman Kenneth Monk (29 January 1944, aged 17), Flight Lieutenant (Pilot) Reginald Frederick Bass (29 June 1944, aged 21), Sergeant Robert Ronald Smithie Parker (12 August 1944), Lance Corporal Donald Crowther (26 August 1944) and Captain Sydney William Raworth (18 October 1944). At the end of the service, wreath bearers processed out to lay their wreaths at the Memorial Staircase at the back of the Great Hall, which was installed to remember those who died in the First World War.
During the Girls’ Division Service of Remembrance, a group of students representing all year groups, led by Head Girl Nyah Pomian, also lay a wreath of poppies at the School’s Memorial Staircase. They were accompanied by Head of Foundation Mr Britton, who shared the Kohima Epitaph: When you go home, tell them of us and say, For your tomorrow, we gave our today. At 11 o’clock, the Great Hall fell silent for the Ode to Remembrance and the Last Post, sounded by Amy Heaton (Year 12).
The occasion also included addresses from the Head of Girls’ Division, Mrs Kyle, about the importance of Remembrance, and from Mrs Wright about the incredible courage and loyalty of animals in war, who have both saved lives and lifted spirits during conflicts from 1914 to the present day. Year 11 pupil Sofia Macari performed ‘Romance’ by Dora Pejacevic, accompanied by Mrs Heaton, and the congregation sang two hymns: ‘I Vow To Thee, My Country’ and ‘Jerusalem’.
At the Junior Girls’ School, Year 6 led an assembly about Remembrance, which their parents were invited to attend. This moving occasion saw the girls talking about why the poppy became a symbol of remembrance and shared ‘In Flanders Fields’ by John McCrae, as well as inviting everyone to be silent and remember at eleven o’clock.
The Junior Boys assembled outside their school for eleven o’clock, when the Last Post was sounded and the flag was lowered to half-mast ahead of a two-minute silence. After the Reveille and the raising of the flag, boys placed a wreath on the school’s memorial bench. This bench was donated by Old Boy Kenneth Lee, a Second World War Veteran who shared his experiences with pupils during the 75th anniversary of VE Day in 2020. The solemn occasion on Armistice Day followed an assembly the previous week about the importance of Remembrance.
In 2014, an art installation at the Tower of London titled Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red commemorated 100 years since the beginning of the First World War. Bolton School purchased 81 of the 888,246 handmade ceramic poppies, each one representing a British military fatality, following the installation: one to commemorate each of the Old Boys who died in the First World War. These were gradually added to a display in the Riley Centre in 2014-2019, with each flower added 100 years after the date of the Old Boy’s death.
The School has decided to repeat this commemoration to mark 110 years since the First World War, and the poppies will be added gradually over the next four years, with the last going on display in January 2029.
