The Senior School Remembers Canada’s Fallen Heroes

On Friday, November 6th, right before the November school break, the Senior School took the time to honour Canada’s war dead. All students, from Grade 6 through Level V, participated in a solemn and moving Remembrance Day assembly to honour those soldiers who helped ensure our national freedom by making the ultimate sacrifice.

A member of the student council from each grade and level read excerpts from soldiers’ letters sent home from the battlefronts during the First and Second World Wars. The choirs, wind ensemble, string ensemble, jazz ensemble and guitar club all contributed their talents by musically expressing the emotions of the day.

The students were also honoured to hear from a very special guest speaker, Mr. George S. MacDonell, who was captured and survived being a POW after the Battle of Hong Kong during WWII. Mr. MacDonell answered student questions, before the playing of The Last Post and one minute of silence.  The silence was broken by the wind ensemble’s rendition of Réveille. The two tunes symbolize sunset and sunrise respectively, and are traditional to Commonwealth Remembrance ceremonies.

As the students left the assembly, they were accompanied by an adagio by Beethoven and the Theme from Schindler’s List, by John Williams – a fitting musical end to a beautifully delivered tribute to Canada’s own heroes.