Remembrance Assembly

Thanks to Years 5, 6 and 7 who observed a minute’s silence in this afternoon’s assembly hosted by Mounts in memory of everyone who has ever taken part in a war. The assembly featured much of the work on World War One that is already published on this blog.

We move on from World War One to study Recount texts next. If you have any comments about Michael Foreman’s The War Game do feel free to write something in the Book Talk section of the blog. I think the ending  surprised and shocked many of us. You can read more about Michael Foreman on this Puffin Books page: http://www.puffin.co.uk/nf/Author/AuthorPage/0,,1000010989,00.html#BIO

For those that are interested, here is a copy of our script: Remembrance Day assembly 2012 script and Powerpoint illustrations (without sound effects): Remembrance day

For more about the work of the Royal British Legion: http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/remembrance

Letter from the Commanding Officer by Libby

3^rd Army Division

Ypres

 

Dear Mrs Adams,

 

I write to you with the deepest sorrow and regret to inform you that your son Private John Adams has died in the recent action. He was one of the best, noblest and bravest soldiers and will be a great loss to your family and me. I shall always remember him and the funny jokes he told. I shall of course come to his funeral and remember him for a lifetime

 

Yours sincerely

Captain Frederick Williams

 

 

Christmas War Diary

Christmas Day.

Well Christmas was a blast. First the Germans put up some Christmas decorations and started singing, so we started singing too. And you know Freddie? Well, he went on to No Mans Land and shook hands with the Germans. Then a bunch of other people from each side came up and shook hands.

It was just amazing how people who were trying to kill each other just went on to No mans Land and shook hands. They did it all for Christmas.

What was so funny was that they put a chair on the half way line and somebody from the Germans started giving people hair cuts. He gave me one. It was brilliant. So they all went back to the trenches nad had supper. We also had some beer.

We said “See you tomorrow” and went to bed, but in the morning the Germans were bombing like mad, because they got some new men that didn’t know anything about the hair cuts or Christmas decorations.

Fin’s War Poem

Devil’s Firework party

Geysers going off

Death track, like a horror scrap yard

Trees like hands, burning world

Rocks flying everywhere

Screams of dying men echoing through the long war.

 

 

WW1 Play Script – by Alex, Louis and William

Sergeant: (Stern voice) Stand to attention! 

(Immediately they stamp their feet)

Right lads, today were going into no mans land.

 

Tommy & Peter: WHAT?

 

Sergeant: That’s right lads. You heard me. Now let’s see if we are all here. Peter?

 

Peter: Yes Sarge.

 

Sergeant: Tommy?

 

Tommy: Yes Sarge.

 

Sergeant: (gets out paper) This is the procedure.

 

Peter: Are you coming too?

 

Sergeant: (stern again) We’ll worry about that later. (Holding paper) We are here (points0 and they are there (points again). We will charge to the wire. Then crawl. Any last questions?

 

Tommy: No sir.

 

Peter: No sir.

 

Sergeant: On my command. 3…2…1 Charge!!

 

German camp

Sergeant Wilhelm: Stand to attention! (in German). We need to do this quickly. Let’s run through the register. Kiser.

Kiser: Yes Sarge.

Sergeant Wilhelm: Voexd.

Voexd: Yes sarge.

Sergeant Wilhelm: Right we are going into no mans land today.

Kiser: Why?

Sergeant Wilhelm: Now stop talking (stern voice). We will have snipers on the move. No we will go through the procedure.

Voexd: Sir, why are we doing this?

Sergeant Wilhelm: Quit it! Now on my command 3…2…1… Charge!

 

Skye’s War Diary

There is nowhere else in the world at the moment that is worse than this. I feel like I am an ant because of the size of the reached trenches. I think that there 8 feet tall. There is a lot of barbed wire around no mans land. It looks like caramel spun to look like crystalised sugar. I don’t really feel well eather. I think I have a cold. No wonder everyone is poorly the food is dredful although I’m going to have to put up with it. I really need to go to the loo but I don’t want to get killed. I’m probably better getting killed because I hate it here. But I want to go home for Christmas. At least it won’t last forever. I would rather get the white feather now, even if I would be known as a coward.

Fin’s Trench Diary Part Two

…. Dog fights rage overhead and planes occasionally crash near our trench. One good thing is we play games with the Germans. It sounds weird but all we do is hold up tin cans on sticks and let the Jerrys shoot at it. The sergeant asked for volunteers to go over into Nomans land and I said I would go. I was getting sick of the grime and the everlasting maze of trenches. Sprinting over Nomansland with Luke and some others suddenly three or four flares lit up the world. I stared up, then looked behind me I couldn’t see my friends then it hit me. I leaped into the mud but it was too late they were already shooting. Wounded and bleeding I managed to crawl back to the trench in the morning. people dragged me into the trench. My numb hands fumbled with my food given to me. It looks like I’m not going over any time soon.

 

Maddie’s War Poem

Lizzie’s War Poem

Muddy trenches, muddy soldiers

No Man’s Land bombed with dead bodies falling

Shells, smoke scary

People dying for their country.

 

Stuck in the mud, not a game, real life

Weak soldiers, no food

Destruction, wreck, calling help

People dying for their country.

 

Exploding, earthquake

Lightning striking

Trenches horrible

People dying for their country.

 

 

 

Amelia’s Trenches Firework Show

Rifle trigger gets stuck down,

Catherine wheel extra sound,

CAUTION: stand well back.

 

Shells fly over head- whistling madly,

Don’t go near them or you’ll die sadly,

WARNING:set off explosive on no mans land.

 

Light Sargent’s stick with explosions,

Sparklers stop the Gerrie’s  invasions

ATTENTION:Win the war!!!!!!!

 

 

 

Cameron’s War Poem

Abi’s War Poem inspired by Paul Nash’s Mule Track

Meadow’s War Poem

Mother’s saying don’t go,

children crying,

faces going,

mud flying,

bombs killing,

bodies lying,

people trying their best,

everyone hiding from the Germans.

 

 

 

Thea’s Trench Diary

I am not enjoying it here. I hate it. Lots and lots of people have died in tryed to escape. I have a very bad cold. I don’t feel very well. Every time I go out of the trench I get hurt. I really want to come home. Bill is in the corner shivring like a ghost and looking like one to. My other friend is in [hospital] so I can’t see him. We hope he gets better.

I don’t think I will be back by Christmas.

Harry

Lizzie’s Trench Diary

We are in the trenches and I hate it here. There is hardly any food so we have to eat rats. We are trapped in the trenches so we have hardly any room to walk around in. I can hear all the deathening sounds from the rainbows of red, yellow and orange explosions. Every time a bomb explodes the ground shakes like an earthquake. Hardly anyone dares to go into no mans land and when they do they either die or run back in terror. I know I won’t be back by Christmas. I thought war would be bad but not this bad. All my friends are as scared as I am. I don’t blame them its scareyer than being chased by a monster in the middle of the night. There is holes everywhere like loads of giant moles have dug them.

Bob

Evie’s Trench Diary

16th October 1916

Dear Diary,

 

There’s no hope for me. Living in a trench there’s constantly a sense of foreboding. The ditch sticks out like a sore thumb in a drab landscape. It reminds me of a gash over a heart. Everyone’s in distress.

 

I’m longing for my family. Last night I went into No-man’s land. It was vile. I had volunteered to take the communication wire. Walking out into the dreary landscape I suddenly got caught in a flare. I staggered to the ground, face down in the sludge. Now the flare had gone out, I cautiously climbed to my feet and ran for it. I belted across No-man’s land, put up the wire and sprinted back. My best friend came with me but he didn’t make it on the journey back.

 

Sam

 

 

 

Fin W’s Trench Diary

16th October 1916

Dear Diary,

This is a gruesome world, blood spewed everywhere the thick rough smell of gas and the filfth. I hate the feeling of grime and the greasy feeling in my hair. I’m starving all the food we get (not very much gets taken by the rats) I want to go home I miss you this war is going to be longer than I thought. I have a feeling next week is my turn to go over the top most people die when they go over the top and I’m not certain I will come back, the guns feel like they’ve tripled there weight and I lost my boots. Shells are like hell but the worst part isn’t the explosion, it’s the whistling beforehand not knowing where its going to land not knowing if you’ll live or this is where your going to end your life….

Melody’s Diary from the Trenches

23rd October 1916

Dear Diary,

 

It’s gruesome here at war it has already been two years. I thought I would be here for a few months but look at me now – I’m still here. I’m bewildered. I miss home ever so much. The food is terrible. Right now I feel extremely worried that I will get hurt. I dream of being at home with mum, Pippa and cookies in front of the fire listening to Hansel and Gretel.

 

 

 

Fin M’s Trench Diary

16th October 1916

I hate it here all the bread is mouldy and the jam is wram. Its DISCUSTING. My best friend had to eat a rat it was because we dared him to do it. Well this isn’t brilliant. When the sergeant shouts his face goes red and everyone gets embarrased. We got given a mission last night I almost got killed I could feel a chill go through my body. I tell you what I had to do last night I HAD TO GO TO NO MANS LAND. I had to run across no mans land a flair spitted across no mans land. I was on the floor for seven minutes, mud blowing up my nose. Mud stinks. I may not be going back for Christmas.

Libby’s Trench Diary

16th October 1916

 

Dear Diary,

 

Its discusting in the trenches. But the journey here was good. On the way we went past a building. I think it was a church. From far away it looks like an abandoned castle covered with snow, its outline blurs in the dawn mist, but the trenches are nothing like that! The trenches are muddy and sloppy. Most of the time I’m stuck in the swampy mud. Yesterday I went crazy…..

 

 

 

Harry’s Trench Diary

23rd October 1916

We are travelling to the trenches in the small London buses. I can see the silhouette of a pale-white skeletal church towering above us, I give a slight jerk. As we arrive in the trenches I have a flashback of my home with the comfy furniture, my wife and my children. The trenches look like an unfinished board game. Suddenly someone shouts “go, go, go And people started running out the back of the busses like a mouse that has spotted cheese. I ran into the trench and started following people. “I bet from above it now looks like a finished boardgame” I whispered to myself. Moments later I get told by someone, I dive into a dugout and lay down, instantly I close my eyes….

 

 

Xavi’s Trench Diary

23rd October 1916

 

I hate the war I wish I didn’t sign up. The field was gloomy, foggy and it looks like a monster’s face. There were trenches everywhere. I nearly fell over in one, there was fog coming out. I got wounded on the leg three times. I don’t think I’ll be back by Christmas. People were putting phone wires up and a flare shot up. A man was in no mans land at noon I thought he was going to die. I ran and saved him and a German shot but he got my leg again.

 

Louis’ Trench Diary

Tuesday 23rd October 1916

 

Dear Diary,

I hate this war. This trench is revolting, we barely get anything to eat. I have a feeling now that we won’t be home for next Christmas, perhaps not even new year. The front line is worse than anyone could of expected. You can just make out the German’s Front line in the distance. A rat stole William’s drink. Will chased the rat round the front line for ages until he got told off by the sergent.

 

We had a surprisingly good day today. No attacks, we just played a game where you hold up a stick with a can on it and the germans try to shoot it. They called it “Target Practice”.

 

 

Izobella’s Trench Diary

23rd October 1916

Dear Diary,

 

I hate it here it’s horrible, my life is ruined. We have arrived all the trenches are horrible it smells discusting it smells damp and like a stail loaf of bread. The trenches are stuffed with spiders. Why did I join the war I feel homesick.

 

Later that day I could hear shouting and loads of bombs exploding they nearly burst my ear drum. I hate it please help me. My friend got killed I’m so sad. Last night was the worst night I was stranded in No Mans land I nearly got killed they shot my leg.

 

Some vocabulary work from this morning’s English lesson

We’ve been reading Michael Foreman’s ‘War Game’ in class. Today we looked at one of the illustrations in detail and wrote down words and phrases inspired by this image. This was later used in our diary writing.

 

William’s Postcard from France

Lizzie’s Postcard from France

Basic Training by Luke

Dear Mum,

I turned up at the training it was a massive field. I was with a commander callled Commander Wensley. I did practice drills with Bob he was a boy from my university. He was very naughty he did a left tern instead of a right tern because I trust him I terned the wrong way to so me and Bob got a charge. We were on cookhouse duty for the next week. Those patatoes were so big it took me 25 minutes to peel one. The next week was bayonet training it was so disgusting but fun. I was scared thinking I could be a bad person killing people. In the morning we have to eat a very small meal every Breakfast, Lunch and Diner. I saw a man click a mans neck and his face went red he had steam coming out of his ears then he saw me looking at him he came storming over to many punched and kicked and shouted and swore. I was so angry I shouted realy hard “stop bullying me” and I’m in solitary confinement for a week…..

Ashridge Training Camp 1914

Basic Training by William

Dear Mum and Dad,

I have to say Im not very satissfyed yet at training camp. Bayonet practise was crazy but I have to say I quite liked the gun I was given it was a Bren Z8438 – it could fire 29 every load but enough about that the meals are OK but they kept on saying when I didn’t notice come on hamd me your plate but hopefully tomorrow will change my mind.

Love from

Timothy

Basic Training by Evie

Dear Mum and Dad,

The Sergeant doesn’t like me much. When I signed up, I had no idea he would wage war on all of us like he has! I’ve only been here for one week, and already I miss you! Up at 5 doing press-ups, by 6 it’s giving me a headache. How are things going for you? Dad, I now know how to behave, I’m sorry I misbehaved.You’re so much softer than the sergeant. Even the white feather is better than this. How’s business? I know how  I disappointed you when I stopped working with you.

Mum, I miss your cooking so much, the food here is disgusting! How’s the cat? You were right, my friends were right, why would anyone EVER want to join the army? I was being so thick, I should’ve listened. The stew is stringy and the sergeant is shouty!

For both of you, the corned beef is the worst thing I’ve ever tasted.

Love you loads,

Sam