An act of remembrance on the centenary of the War's end. On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month Old Carolians, Old Elizabethans and Old Girls joined to commemorate the past pupils of their Schools that gave their lives in the two World Wars and in more recent military conflicts in the Falklands and in Afghanistan.
On arrival at Woodfield Hall, school members were astonished to discover the impressive conversion to a dance studio that had taken place with new tiled flooring and large mirrors along one side of the hall. With the stained glass window memorial and stone tablets still in place it proved a much improved location for the Remembrance Service.
Our President, Arthur Miller, had prepared an impressive booklet to accompany this Centennial Service, listing all the names of the fallen with details of their military service, including those who fell in the Falklands and Afghanistan campaigns. The listings covered all the three schools, namely King Charles I Grammar School, Hartlebury Grammar School and the Kidderminster High School for Girls, researched by Dave Laverty and Margaret Miller. In addition, our President had included in the service a number of poems, namely 'Attack' and 'Remorse' by Siegfried Sassoon, 'In Flanders Fields' by John McCrae, and 'Dulce et decorum est' by Wilfred Owen. Each of these poems was read aloud by a member of the congregation reflecting the absolute horrors inflicted on all those taking part in the many ferocious battles that had taken place.
The President laid the Memorial Poppy Wreath on behalf of those present, followed by the collect for Remembrance Day, prayers, blessings and finally the National Anthem.