On Sunday 12^th November, Lucy Paris Johnstone and Will Staunton in Year 10 represented Balcarras at Cheltenham’s Remembrance Service.

Together they read the poem, For the Fallen by Laurence Binyon, and afterwards they laid a wreath on behalf of the whole school community.

They read the poem beautifully and was a truly poignant moment.

Photo of Will and Lucy with Balcarras Headteacher Dominic Burke and Photo of Will and Lucy reading the poem.

Photo of the official parade after the ceremony. You’ll have to study it hard to find Will and Lucy but they are there.

The link to the service is here:

Poem reading at 53:32 and their wreath laying at 1:13:20

Copy of For the Fallen by Laurence Binyon

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,

England mourns for her dead across the sea.

Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,

Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal 

Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,

There is music in the midst of desolation

And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,

Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.

They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;

They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: 

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again; 

They sit no more at familiar tables of home;

They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;

They sleep beyond England's foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound, 

Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,

To the innermost heart of their own land they are known

As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust, 

Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;

As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness, 

To the end, to the end, they remain.