HOLYROOD Academy recently commemorated Remembrance Day with a heartfelt Remembrance ceremony.

The event featured a cadet-led march and a solemn Trumpet performance by Teacher of History, Dave Tozer. Head of History, Stuart Roper, organized the ceremony and held a contest called “66 for Arthur”, where students wrote epitaphs for Arthur Soper, a young Chard soldier who died in World War I.

The winning students: Ophelia Lynch, Luke Collins, and Trexie Ramiro, visited Chard Cemetery to place poppies and their epitaphs at the headstone of Arthur’s father, Joseph Soper, honouring the profound losses experienced by local families during the Great War.

The epitaphs read:

Ophelia Lynch: “Evermore in Israel, forever in our hearts.”

Luke Collins: “Brave soldier fought, all is done, rest now sir, peace will come.”

Trexie Ramiro: “Another child ardent for some desperate glory, forever lost.”

Reflecting on the day, Headteacher Dave McCormick said: “I am incredibly proud of the poignant ways in which remembrance is celebrated at Holyrood. We believe it is essential that young people fully understand the sacrifices made for their freedoms, especially by those who gave their lives in the Great War and WWII. Our students take remembrance very seriously indeed, and led by our cadets we stand together to recognize this event each year. I would like to thank the students and staff for creating such a special annual event.”

The ceremony concluded at the Chard Museum, where Howard Bailey (Museum Trustee) presented certificates to the winning students and praised them for their efforts.

Afterwards, the students and cadets enjoyed hot chocolate together—a warm ending to a meaningful day of remembrance.