Anzac Assembly

Anzac Assembly

On the 24th April 2015, Pt England School had a very special assembly. In the Team 5 block all the students and teachers were wearing red poppies. We all wore red poppies because it was the day before Anzac day - Poppy Day.

Poppy Day is the day before Anzac day. On Poppy Day people wear poppies. We do this because when soldiers died on Flanders Field red poppies started growing.

Once we were all in the hall with our poppies on, we waited for the rest of the school to come into the hall. Everybody was in the hall and the prefects started doing the karakia and mihi.

Near the end of the assembly Mr Burt started telling us some of the main points from the Anzac story. He told us that the Maori that was here wanted to have their own battalion.

They went to the parliament to ask the president if they could have their own battalion. The parliament said no. The Maori asked again and they said no again. The third time they went they said “ We want our own battalion. Give it to please.”This time the parliament said “Yes. Yes you can.” The Maori named the battalion Maori Battalion 28.

Mr Burt also showed us pictures of New Zealand soldiers boarding the boat and heading to Wellington. They were hanging off the boat edge and waving. The young men thought that it was going to be a cool adventure  but they realised at the arriving point that it wasn’t.

After the korero Mr Burt asked the Yr 1’s to stand and go to the Field Of Remembrance. The Field of Remembrance is a place where people can go to commemorate the people who died and served our country. The last people to leave the hall were the Yr 7 and 8s. Everyone stood  by the Field Of Remembrance.  Everyone looked at the 30 white crosses with names on it. Mr Burt acknowledged 1 particular cross. The name on the cross was ‘Unknown Soldier - Known Unto God’. He said that when that person died know one could recognize his face.

After that everyone went back to their class. I think that this A.N.Z.A.C assembly was really cool because I learnt a few new things that I didn't know about A.N.Z.A.C.