Pupils and staff at Brentwood School united for Armistice Day Remembrance Services

A morning of special Armistice Day Remembrance Services united pupils and staff at Brentwood School today as they remembered all the men and women who gave their lives in the two World Wars and subsequent conflicts, including the 272 Old Brentwoods.

A day of remembrance started at 8.45am at the Preparatory School when the School Chaplain, the Revd Dr Adrian McConnaughie, led a special assembly. Later in the morning, Brentwood School’s youngest pupils attended a commemoration at the town’s war memorial at 11am.

Another Service of Remembrance, for Fifth and Sixth Formers, was held in Brentwood Cathedral and was again led by the Chaplain. The Revd Dr Adrian McConnaughie was joined by Headmaster Ian Davies for the moving tribute which witnessed the traditional Laying of the Wreath by the student Head of School, Mary Hirst.

The service began with the choir, led by the School’s Assistant Director of Music, Mr David Revels, and accompanied by Musician in Residence, Mr Sam Barber, singing a moving rendition of ‘Ave Verum’ by Elgar. The Chamber Choir also sang a superb version of Greater Love Hath No Man by John Ireland with a beautiful solo by Hannah Walker (5th Year). A Bible reading was given by Deputy Head of School, Louise Bottom, and the playing of the ‘Last Post’ and ‘Reveille’ by Upper Sixth student Greg Harding before the packed Cathedral fell completely quiet for the two-minute silence.

Across the campus, staff and pupils were united in marking the memorial. The School’s Third and Fourth Year pupils took part in a Remembrance Service in the Wessex Auditorium where the readers were Esha Parmar & Beth Linnell. The service was led by Mr Ian Kemble, Director of Schools Work at the Brentwood Schools’ Christian Worker Trust, and First Year Savannah Morrish played the Last Post accompanied by Mr Florian Cooper, Director of Music, on the piano.

The Second Year service was in the Memorial Hall and was led by Mr Steve Kersys. The reader was Lewis Harknett and the ‘Last Post’ was played by Upper Sixth student Charles Getting, who this week obtained Grade 8 Distinction in the trumpet. The service was accompanied by Jonathan Akerman, also in the Upper Sixth, on the piano.

The School’s Victorian Chapel was the venue for the First Year service which was led by Old Brentwood James Brown and Mr Nigel Carr, Teacher of Economics and Head of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme. Ben Walsh and Isabella Colvill gave the reading and Hannah Humberstone and Benjamin Small laid a wreath at the altar. The Last Post was played by First Year Ore Fashesin-Souza, accompanied by Chemistry teacher Mr James Perry.

This Sunday, the Brentwood School’s Combined Cadet Force cadets will take part in the town’s Remembrance Day Parade. Cadets will also be raising funds for the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal by bag packing in Sainsbury’s on Saturday 11th November.