LIPHOOK Junior School has marked Canada Day.
Year 4 has been studying history through a topic on Commonwealth War Graves and this event was the culmination of their work.
During their studies, the children visited Bramshott churchyard, where many of the fallen Canadian soldiers are laid to rest. Each child researched a name from one of the gravestones and wrote a poem dedicated to each one. They also drew on research from Canadian archives.
The children began the day participating in a ceremony raising the flags at the bridge on the old A3 to mark the place where the Canadian soldiers would have passed when travelling to Liphook, or to Portsmouth, from their base in Bramshott.
The children and visitors then continued onto St Mary’s Church, Bramshott, where they took part in a moving ceremony led by Alan Geddes. The children and congregation commemorated Canada Day in remembrance of the fallen soldiers.
After the service, many of the congregation returned to the school for a lunch.
Headteacher Michele Frost made a presentation of an engraved crystal rose bowl to Colonel Rory Radford, and a Canadian Silver dollar was also presented by Colonel Rory Radford to Zoe McEwan, a pupil in Year 4 at the school, for her extra effort with her research project.
Following the lunch, the children, in period dress, sang wartime songs to the veterans and other distinguished guests.
Songs included Kiss Me Goodnight, Sergeant Major, Run Rabbit Run and O Canada, the Canadian national anthem, which was also sung at the earlier church service.
Ms Frost, in welcoming these special visitors to the school, said: “We are so honoured on Canada Day to have you all with us today and it is so important that our children appreciate and understand the sacrifices made during two world wars.”