World War I comes to life for pupils

WELL DONE: Trevor Thompson, shakes the hand of Logan Purvis, 11, during an inspection of Hadlow School's parade.

Rank and file pupils in Hub 4 at Hadlow School this term formed a Anzac Dad's Army and nurses' corps that were brought to life with a parade inspection at the school.

Pene Jackson, Hadlow School teacher and ex-Women's Royal New Zealand Naval Service sailor, said she was rapt with the 55 pupils comprising Learning Hub 4 and the drive and enthusiasm with which they had approached lessons about World War I ahead of Anzac Day.

The boys had "conscripted" themselves into a fighting unit they dubbed Dad's Army - echoing the title of a long-running late 1960s television series - and the girls in the hub formed a volunteer Anzac nursing corps.

On Tuesday, the group formed parade ranks in a classroom and welcomed Masterton Mayor Lyn Patterson as a special guest and, as a guest speaker, returned serviceman Trevor Thompson, who was a lance corporal in the New Zealand Army and had also served in the Territorial Forces.

Mr Thompson, who speaks te reo Maori, spoke to the hub about the formation and history of the 28th Maori Battalion, initially formed in World War I as the Native Contingent, and, alongside Mrs Patterson, inspected the assembled troops.

"The Maori fighting man became a very efficient, very brave, very resourceful, very resilient and very fit soldier that came from a way of life from long, long ago."

The event aimed to make real some of the hub's lessons on World War I, Ms Jackson said.

"Being ex-services I wanted to put a bit of reality into it for them."

Pupil Caleb Baron was parade commander on the day, while Jayden Webb-Milner laid the taki, or challenge dart, during the powhiri for Mrs Patterson and Mr Thompson, and Grace Hancox and Erin Hudson performed the karanga, or welcome chant.

Head prefect Ben Kinvig was the ranking officer, Amber Powell was matron, and Joe Quinn the "fallen soldier".