St Dunstan’s College’s annual Service of Remembrance took place on Wednesday 11 November.

The Headmaster, Chaplain, Head of School and the Chapel Choir gathered in the Great Hall for the ceremony. For the first time in St Dunstan’s history, the service was live streamed to pupils in classrooms, parents and Old Dunstonians to ensure that the service was Covid compliant.

The Chapel Choir opened the service with a stunning performance of John Ireland’s ‘Greater Love Hath No Man’, which was followed by the opening prayers by the College’s Chaplain, Canon Boswell and Headmaster, Mr Hewlett.

During the First World War, more than 877 Dunstonians served in the forces, and St Dunstan’s suffered one of the highest percentage losses of any school in the country. Tragically 277 students and teachers lost their lives during the war.

Canon Boswell reflected on this loss, saying: ‘Those former students and teachers will be remembered today, they once walked these corridors, they once sat in this Great Hall as you do now. They were once here, having fun, playing football and rugby, and they faced war with courage and dignity.’
As part of this year’s Remembrance Service, 277 silhouettes were placed in the Great Hall to represent each of the fallen students from the war.

Head of School, Piotr, explained: ‘When you see it like this, it really does show the large loss of life to the College at the time.’

Following the readings, Mr Hewlett and Canon Boswell made their way outside the crescent, where the Combined Cadet Force were waiting. The Last Post was performed, and a two-minute silence was observed. The wreaths were then laid by the Headmaster and representatives from the Junior and Senior Schools.

This year, the stunning poppy display was installed again outside St Dunstan’s main entrance. It features a cascade of more than 750 poppies of all shapes and sizes, and will remain on show for the rest of the month.