The bridge between our past and present
Year 10 History students reflect on a trip to Belgium
By Kheya Shah 10.2, Veera Mehta 10.2 and Elsa Haddaway 10.6
How do we, as a society, make a good future? By building a bridge between our present and the past to learn from the mistakes that humanity has made so that we don’t repeat them. Also, by creating unforgettable memories that will last a lifetime… From 21st to 24th June 2024, seventy Claremont High School students visited various historical sites in Belgium and France to do exactly that.
They had the opportunity to visit memorials to different cultures, cemeteries and trenches used by soldiers in World War One. Many students, like Avi Joshi 10.1, felt greatly impacted by these historical sites: ‘Visiting cemeteries like the Tyne Cot Cemetery really made me understand how unimaginably grave was the extent of the loss that loved ones in WW1 had to face.’ Saiyan Thankey in 10.3 was horrified by ‘the harsh living conditions the soldiers had to experience in the cramped and deteriorated trenches and caves’.
Two students, Veera Mehta 10.2 and Antonio Cincu 10.5, paid their respects to all the lost soldiers in the daily Last Post Ceremony by placing a wreath on behalf of the school. ‘It was an honour to participate in the ceremony,’ said Veera afterwards. ‘Watching the soldiers be commemorated over a hundred years later was a beautiful and emotional experience.’
However, as Mr Burns, the organiser of the trip, reflected, although the historical side of the activity is extremely important, so is ‘allowing students to enjoy a journey to a foreign country, teaching them to be independent, experience different cultures and meet new people’. Students indulged in new foods, explored Oostduinkerke Beach and brought out their competitive side in mini-golf.
For many students and teachers, these joyous moments were the highlight of the trip. Jaanvi Bharj 10.1 said, ‘The beach was my favourite part! It provided a perfect balance between the interesting history and allowed me to have a fun time with my friends. It truly felt like a holiday!’ Mr Schmidt admitted, ‘Watching the sunset on the beach and tonnes of Claremont students and teachers playing football, volleyball and enjoying the nice warm weather gave me a lot of joy!’
It was an experience that all the students will treasure for the rest of their lives. The many historical lessons they learnt from the sites, plus the countless memories and friends they made, will help these youngsters create an enduring, bright future for themselves and society.