Students and staff gathered across the School this week to mark ANZAC Day in a series of moving assemblies that paid tribute to the courage and sacrifice of those who have served Australia.
At each assembly, students observed the Last Post, heard the Ode of Remembrance and stood in a moment of silence – a quiet but powerful acknowledgement of the lives given and forever altered in the pursuit of freedom. The Last Post itself was played with great reverence by Year 12 student Luca.
The address delivered by Acting Principal Thom Marchbank proved to be a deeply personal and memorable centrepiece of the commemorations. Mr Marchbank spoke of his own family’s connection to wartime service, sharing the story of Private James Stanley Marchbank – known as Stan – who served during the Second World War. Through Stan’s story, Mr Marchbank explored themes that remain as relevant today as they were in the fields and trenches of decades past – the nature of courage and the quiet but profound role that luck plays in determining who comes home and who does not.
Perhaps most powerfully, Mr Marchbank reflected on Stan’s capacity for forgiveness – a quality, he suggested, that all of us would do well to cultivate. He reminded students that peace is not simply the absence of conflict, but something actively upheld by those who choose to forgive and who persevere toward freedom in the face of peril and plight. It was a message that resonated well beyond history.
Adding a student voice to the occasion, Year 11’s Auden spoke candidly about his own experiences with ANZAC commemorations and his time in cadets – offering a perspective that brought the significance of the day closer to home for many of his peers. His contribution was a reminder that the spirit of service and remembrance is alive in the younger generation.
The High School assembly concluded on a fittingly solemn note, with Head Boy Oscar and Head Girl Mollie laying a wreath on behalf of the entire school community.
As we go forward, we carry with us the memory of Stan and the many others like him – and the reminder that the freedoms we enjoy were hard won and must never be taken for granted.
Lest we forget.
