Patriotic pupils in Tavistock are ready to perform a homemade tribute to Winston Churchill on Armistice Day.
The special Remembrance event will comprise about 30 children performing Lion’s Roar twice on Monday to staff, parents and the rest of the school to mark 150 years since the WWII leader’s birth.
The children will sing two songs composed by parent Tracy Harding with teachers Lisa Base and Simon Beatty who also devised the music and taught the children to perform together in front of a back drop of wartime scenes, patriotic government posters and a picture of Churchill.
Lisa, a year six teacher, said: “The children have been really good, they understand the significance of Winston Churchill and who he was and what Remembrance means. They learn about World War II in history and we have combined that with how we should understand why it is important that we do not forget why and how people died what seems a long time ago to the children.
“Remembrance events are very important to the headteacher and the school. We tell the children why the world wars and all wars fought for our country are still relevant to them now. They are told how close the country was to surrendering to German and were it not fr Churchill’s stirring speeches we’d have surrendered and we might not be as free as we are today.
“We show them how Churchill’s words brought hope and light in our darkest hours and inspired the country to win the Second World War.”
One of the songs the children sang was based on a poem about the Battle of Britain called Pilot’s High Flight by J. Gillespie, based o a Spitfire pilot’s war time experiences.
Jack, ten, said his great grandfather was in the Polish Army. He said: “This is about honouring all the people who fought for our freedom and died.”
Matthew, 11, said his great grandfather was in the Army. He said: “We are learning all about World War Two and doing a show about the war in the skies, about the Battle of Britain.”
Rowan, ten, said her cousin is in the RAF and her great grandfather was a tila gunner in a WWII Lancaster bomber. She said: “We are singing about Winston Churchill and how he helped us win the war. We should also think about all the people who fought for us to be free.”
Martha, ten, said: “A lot of people died in the Second World War and we must not forget them.”
