Remembrance Day 2023

November 11th – Remembrance Day

On the morning of November 11th, our Prep Pupils, Teachers and Staff gathered in the Assembly Hall to honour and remember those who died in World War I. Led by our 5th class teacher, Mr Meade, our Remembrance Day Assembly focused on the brave past pupils who fought in the Great War.

 Castle Park Pupils and Staff –  WWI

A total of fifty-six staff and pupils served in World War I, and sadly, twenty-five of them lost their lives. Harold Boyd, the first pupil to enrol in our school in 1904, boarded at Castle Park after travelling by ferry from England.  Tragically, he lost his life in Gallipoli, Turkey, in 1915.

Among the names on the Castle Park Roll of Honour are Captain Sidney Cowan and Captain Philip Cowan, both heroes who perished in aerial combat. The youngest Castle Park pupil to lose his life in the First World War was 2nd Lieutenant Sydney Vernon Young, who was killed at the tender age of eighteen in September 1918.

 A Minutes Silence 

In a moment of reflection, we observed a minute’s silence, remembering not only those who served in the past but also those affected by conflicts today. Pupils from our 6th class then paid tribute in our Remembrance Garden by laying a wreath in honour of the past Castle Park pupils who gave their lives for their country.

 Mr McKernan Sings ‘No Man’s Land’ 

Accompanied by our Director of Music, Ms McKiernan, on piano, our Principal, Mr McKernan, sang a moving rendition of ‘Willie McBride’ (‘No Man’s Land’). The emotional lyrics of this song tell the poignant tale of a young Irish man killed in WWI in 1916.

 Conclusion

As we concluded the assembly, a powerful message remained: wars do not solve problems, and the path to a brighter future lies in peace and dialogue.

Click here to view a video of Mr McKernan singing ‘No Man’s Land’

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