Remembrance Day 2017

Four Darwin High School students have continued the school’s longstanding tradition of participating in the annual Remembrance Day ceremony at the Darwin Cenotaph on Saturday 11 November.

By teacher Judy Boland

2017 marks the centenary of a number of significant battles on the Western Front, and in the Middle East, in which many Australian lives, including Territorians’ were lost.

On the Western Front, the battles for Bullecourt, Ypres and Passchendaele saw thousands lose their lives including the Territory’s own Alex McKinnon, a stockman from Charlotte Waters. Alex was killed in the 3^rd battle of Ypres on 4 October 1917. His name is inscribed on the Menin Gate Memorial at Ypres, because his body was never recovered.

The fall of Baghdad, Falluja and Gaza resonate with us today, because these places have not yet found peace, whilst the capture of the wells of Beersheba by the Australian Light Horse was the last great cavalry charge in history.

Fleur Liveris, Elizabeth Greenwood, Shahista Rojar and Maddison Sperrer all braved 34 ͤC heat and 70% humidity to represent Darwin High School at the annual Remembrance Day Service at the Cenotaph to honour those men.

The students helped distribute poppies which were placed on the Cenotaph.

The students received many compliments on their presentation and demeanour, with the Chief Minister the Hon Michael Gunner MLA especially congratulating them, along with the Member for Port Darwin the Hon Paul Kirby, officials from the Darwin RSL, some of whom are former Darwin High School students and other dignitaries.

The students and Darwin High were thanked publicly by the MC for their continued support of the event.