We Will Remember Them...

Flickr album: Remembrance 2024 | Height: auto | Theme: Default | Skin: Default Skin

Since the School returned from the half-term holiday, it has been encouraging to see so many pupils and staff committed to remembering the fallen who fought for our freedom - especially the 119 Old Brutonians from the First World War, Second World War, Korean War, and War in Afghanistan.

Our thanks must be expressed to the Friends of King’s (our parent fundraising organisation) who funded the purchase of an ‘Unknown Tommy Silhouette’ statue with the School’s crest and a message of ‘In Remembrance of The 119 Fallen Brutonians’ printed on its base. This has been appropriately placed on the lawn outside the Memorial Hall. Alongside this, the poppy appeal has raised lots of money which will be collated with the Bruton Town Poppy Appeal efforts.

Sunday saw us gather for our Remembrance Sunday Service in the Memorial Hall at 9.30am. This Hall has the names of the 119 fallen Brutonians carved into the wooden panelling. Satine (an U6^th Form pupil from a Forces family) read for us a reading from Isaiah where we were reminded of the dark sobering reality of war, but the good news of the hope of light (Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace). Special thanks must go to George (another U6^th Form pupil from a Forces family) who laid the wreath on behalf of the School, and to Rose Vigers-Belgeonne, the Honourable Secretary to the Old Burtonian Association, who laid a wreath on behalf of them. During the Service, we pondered the words of Isaiah, and also took time to walk around the Memorial Hall taking in the names of the fallen who would have trod the same paths, played on the same pitches, and used many of the same classrooms/dorms as us.

Following the service, our Military Band and CCF helped lead the Town’s Remembrance Parade down the High Street to the War Memorial at Church Bridge. King’s pupils helped hand out Orders of Service as several hundred people went through the Remembrance liturgy together. After this, a church service for the public took place inside St Mary’s Church, with Monty and Winnie (U6^th Form CCF pupils) being standard bearers on behalf of the Royal British Legion and the CCF.

On Monday 11^th November, I was honoured to take a Remembrance Chapel Service Assembly at our prep school, Hazlegrove. At King’s, we marked the 106^th anniversary of the Armistice with the whole school gathering in the Memorial Hall in silence. Dan and Alexina (U6^th Form pupils from Forces families) read the Roll of Honour of the 119 fallen Brutonians. We said some prayers of Remembrance, and the famous words of Remembrance written by Binyon, before marking a two-minute silence. Our special gratitude must go to George (U6^th Form, New House) who with great skill played The Last Post and Reveille twice yesterday (at the service and town event) and also today in the Memorial Hall.

In a world where war sadly still rages, it is so important and poignant that we take the time to remember and reflect on the sacrifice of so many in the pursuit of peace and freedom.

Rev’d George Beverly - Foundation Chaplain

Relevant news from our archives:

• A Beautiful Cabinet Made by our Chaplain to House the School's Roll of Honour
• Our School Archivist Reflects on the Old Brutonians Who Fell During the First World War
• King's Marks Centenary Of The End Of WWI

Thank you to @FriendsOfKSB for funding this Tommy silhouette to help the @KingsBruton community remember the 119 fallen Brutonians. Good to get the Roll of Honour on display in Reception too. #KSBChaplaincy #KSBCommunity #KSBQuality #WeWillRememberThem pic.twitter.com/GEsPXO85QA

— Chaplain (@KSBChaplain) November 4, 2024

From the Korean War we remember:

Christopher Thomas Rede BUCKLEY

Henry Chapman CABRAL

From the War in Afghanistan we remember:

Benjamin ROSS

 #KSBCommunity #OldBrutonians #KSBChaplaincy #KSBCCF #KSBMusic