Hartlepool pays its respects to the Fallen on Armistice Day

As well as reflecting on the bravery of military servicemen and women, one town school marked the centenary year of the Royal British Legion.

More than 400 youngsters from Throston Primary School lined up in the yard on Thursday, November 11, to form the number 100.

The school is a strong supporter of the charity and youngsters have been working on their own personal tributes to the Fallen, as head teacher Mark Atkinson explained.

“We always try to make Remembrance a big thing at the school. I think it is very important,” he said.

“We do as much as we can. We have a display in the school with poppies that have been made by every single child.

“We do quite a lot of work in the classrooms and we had an assembly this week where we talked about what the Poppy represents, about what the different coloured Poppies represent and about how it’s not just about the current Armed Forces but about veterans too.”

All but one class took part in today’s playground display: “We have 442 pupils in the school, so there would have been just over 400,”said Mark.

“One of the Year Five classes was spending the day at the Heugh Battery as part of their studies of the First World War – they go every year.

“The other Year Five class went yesterday and I think they had a fantastic day. It’s a shame we had to spare one class today, but they can’t all go at the same time.

Hartlepool Borough Council paid its own tribute on behalf of the town by lighting up war memorials in the town centre, Headland and Seaton Carew.

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