Students from Bishop’s Stortford schools contribute to town’s commemoration for Armistice Day

Children from Bishop’s Stortford schools joined together to mark Armistice Day on Monday, with the message that young people must “take up the torch” and carry on.

The annual commemoration of the day and hour when the First World War killing fields of France and beyond fell silent took place at the war memorial at Castle Gardens, attended by local dignitaries, organisations, members of the public and the schoolchildren.

John Robinson, president of the Bishop’s Stortford branch of the Royal British Legion, led the service, which began with two minutes’ silence and the reading of part of Lawrence Binyon’s poem For The Fallen during the laying of poppy wreaths.

Primary school pupils from St Michael’s CofE in Apton Road, Summercroft in Plaw Hatch Close and St Joseph’s Catholic in Great Hadham Road read out their contributions, before three secondary students from The Bishop’s Stortford High School sent a powerful message to those gathered.

John McCrae’s war poem In Flanders Fields was discussed and read by the students, who stressed the importance of young people “taking up the torch” for peace, love and remembrance.

Then it was the turn of Thorn Grove Primary pupils, who read out their own contributions, which included a touching reading of one boy’s poem by teacher Kathy Canavan as she stood by its shy creator Leo.

Also present were primary pupils from Northgate in Cricketfield Lane and Windhill21 in Windhill.

Kathy, who co-ordinated the schools’ involvement, said afterwards she was keen for the schools to present a united front, adding she felt the service and students’ contributions had “magnificent poignancy”.

In preparation for the service, Summercroft Year 5 children built a “secure understanding” of some of the major events of the First World War – from the recruitment processes to trench warfare – and studied poems.

Pupils from Sycamore and Hazel classes, under Mr Wilson and Mr Webb, visited London’s Imperial War Museum.

Children’s artwork, inspired by that of contemporary artist Derek Gores, was displayed in a unit in Jackson Square shopping centre.