Brothers Year 11 student Mackenzie Cameron and Year 9 student James Cameron played the bagpipes and Celtic Drum as part of the Newhaven College ANZAC Day commemorations.
Newhaven College Junior School Captains and Vice Captains Chloe Shapardon, Edward Lee, Eden Callas and Leith Cameron laid the wreath, created by Salome Rapson from plants and flowers found on the College grounds.
Newhaven College Captain Tom Bird presented his speech to all those assembled at the Inverloch service. Pictured with Inverloch RSL Secretary Lindsay Guerin and Inverloch RSL President Ross Gabb.
Newhaven College students show their respect with a minutes’ silence at the commemoration service on Friday.
Newhaven College Captains Max Arceo, Alice Mabilia, Tom Bird and Tahlia Williams at the College’s Anzac Day proceedings.
It is a proud tradition for Newhaven College students to speak at Anzac Day ceremonies across Bass Coast. Newhaven College Captains Tahlia Williams and Max Arceo spoke at the Cowes RSL Dawn and 11am services respectively. The Senior Vocal Ensemble performed the New Zealand and Australian National Anthems at the dawn service and the Middle School Choir performed at the 11am service. College Captain Tom Bird delivered his speech at the Inverloch RSL service and Alice Mabilia was the guest speaker at the San Remo Community Service. Junior School Captains and Vice-
Captains, Edward Lee, Chloe Shapardon, Eden Hallas and Leith Cameron also took part in the Anzac Day services, laying wreaths on behalf of the College at the 11am Cowes ceremony.
College Captain Tahlia Williams, addressed those assembled at the Cowes Dawn Service, wearing her great great grandfather, Lieutenant Colonel Henry James Williams' Distinguished Service Order for Gallantry medal.
“Henry landed on the shores of Gallipoli on this very day in 1915 and stayed until he was injured and evacuated. Once Henry recovered, he continued serving with his fellow soldiers in France, until the completion of the war.
“We can’t feel or understand the depth of war. And as a young person trying to comprehend this, it shows how we can get caught up in our day-to-day lives, such as 18th birthday parties. To think soldiers pretended to be 18 so they could have the honour of serving and protecting their country. What they saw as an absolute privilege is what we see as impossible and terrifying to even imagine.
“This is what I reflect on during the minute of silence, which, to me serves as a reminder of the importance of peace. In the stillness of that moment, we are confronted with the harsh realities of war, but also the fortitude of the Anzac spirit. A spirit that will never falter, never waiver and never be forgotten.”
Back at school the day after Anzac Day, Newhaven College’s students and staff gathered to reflect and show appreciation to our armed forces past and present. The amphitheatre was soaked in the moving sounds of bagpipes played by Year 11 piper Mackenzie Cameron and the Celtic Drum played by his brother Year 9 student James Cameron as students and staff assembled.
Proceedings were run by School Captain Max Arceo with fellow Captain Alice Mabilia sharing the speech she presented at San Remo on Anzac Day. The Combined College Choir sang the poem 'In Flanders Fields' by Craig Tibbitts as well as the New Zealand and Australian National Anthems. Year 9 student Keely Filsell and her music tutor Casey Thomsen played the Last Post on trumpet. The Junior School Captains laid a wreath at the Lone Pine as Year 9 students raised the flags. All students were reflective and respectful throughout the sombre occasion.
