Schoolchildren hear about the Great War

Schoolchildren hear about the Great War

7 February 2018

THE pupils of Derryboy Primary School went back in time on Friday.

The boys and girls of P5, P6 and P7 took part in a special competition to test their knowledge of the Great War.

And they rose to the challenge in style, impressing with their understanding of events 100 years earlier.

It was the girls of P7 who triumphed in a special competition to test their knowledge of items linked to the battles of the First World War.

One of the interesting facts they learned was that pupils of Derryboy Primary, 100 years earlier, had knitted socks which were sent to the soldiers at the front.

The war memorabilia which the pupils handled included a whistle used by an officer before the soldiers went ‘over the top’, a replica of a Victoria Cross and a Dead Man’s Penny awarded by King George V to the family of Shrigley soldier William Walker, who was killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.

The competition was the final part of a series of events staged by Killyleagh Remembers the Great War project as part of the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Passchendaele. Funding support was provided by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Chris Hagan, of Killyleagh Remembers the Great War project, explained: “The young people are so knowledgeable about the events from 1914 to 1918.

“At the end each pupil was presented with a free copy of `A Village at War’ recalling war stories from Killyleagh, Derryboy, Comber and Shrigley and a goodie bag supplied by the project.

“It will give them a chance to learn about David Boyd, from Derryboy, who was killed at the Somme aged just 19, or Edmund de Wind from Comber who won the VC in 1918.’’

He added: “This is the third school to have taken part and we are grateful to the school principal, Dr Judith Harper, for the opportunity to let the children participate.’’