Westbourne House School remembers the fallen and reflects on its own wartime history

Pupils and staff at Westbourne House School gathered together today to mark Remembrance Day, paying tribute to the servicemen and women who have given their lives in conflicts past and present.

A large poppy, painted on the grass, provided a poignant focal point as the school community came together. Led by Headmaster, Mr Guy Musson, the gathering took time to reflect on the sacrifices made by generations of Armed Forces personnel and the importance and value of the peace and freedom we enjoy today.

Mr Musson led the traditional act of remembrance. He concluded by reading the final stanza of For the Fallen: “At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them.” The school community responded together: “We will remember them.”

The Head Girl read In Flanders Fields and a second pupil played The Last Post on the trumpet, after which the children, aged 4 - 13, and staff held a minute’s silence. 

A prayer of remembrance gave the children an opportunity to reflect on the school's own connections with wartime history and give thanks for the bravery of the pilots who served at Tangmere.

During the Second World War, Westbourne House School was evacuated from its original home in Folkestone to Devon, and its pupils had to show courage and resilience during an unsettling time. The school also remembered the role played by its present home, former Shopwyke House, which became a place for RAF pilots to rest and recover after flying dangerous missions from nearby RAF Tangmere.