Remembrance Sunday Service November 2009

International pupils took part in the Service

On Sunday 8 November, the School welcomed some 300 guests into the Memorial Hall for the annual Service of Remembrance.  Amongst these guests, we were honoured to have six Merchistonian veterans of British conflicts.

The theme of the service was ‘What Remembrance Means to Me’, and featured short addresses from six different speakers on this subject.  Whilst each speaker had a very personal account to share, from Tom B in Third Form whose great-grandfather had fought at Gallipoli, to Air Commodore Paterson, speaking from the point of view of a serving officer, all of the accounts were memorable and moving in their own way.

In addition to the Service, School Chaplain Nick Blair, with assistance from Elizabeth Tracey in the Development Office, put together a display of photographs and information about each of the 81 Merchistonians and masters who perished in World War II.  It was erected in the Old Library, and many visitors commented on how touching they found the display.

Merchistonian veterans in attendance were as follows:

J B Nicol (38-42)
M S S B Green (40-44)
W W Yellowlees (31-36)
D P Sommerville (47-52)
R J Hewat (51-56)
J R Allan (31-33)