HUMANITIES

Armistice

Centenary in Lilydale

On November 11 1918, an armistice or ceasefire was signed to end the Great War (as it was known then) in a train carriage in France.

This day, first known as Armistice Day and now as Remembrance Day, is a chance for Australians to stop at 11 am and reflect on the sacrifice of the men and women who were involved in the events from 1914; and for Australians, from 1915.

On Sunday 11 November 2018, Lilydale High School students Ethan Carroll (Year 10, Assistant Captain) and Billy Toleman (Year 7 Captain), laid a wreath at the Lilydale Cenotaph on behalf of the students and staff of the school. At the ceremony, we reflected on the many lives lost, as evidenced by the names of local men listed on the Cenotaph and by the 6,100 hand knitted poppies that covered the grounds of the Memorial.

Later in the day, ARK Theatre put on a performance at the Lilydale High School Theatre that included skits and songs, readings from diaries and dramatisations of events from 1914 to 1918.

The penultimate item was the Armistice Centenary Re-enactment Video that was created by Kristy Mays and her 9E History class. This video recreated the events of 1918 in Lilydale when Dame Nellie Melba received the news of the armistice. She then drove into the town and rang the fire bell to notify the community of the exciting news.

The video was able to be created due to the assistance and advice of the following people/groups:

• The Department of Veterans’ Affairs
• Don Parson, Lilydale RSL President
• Anthony McAleer OAM, local historian and author
• 9E History class
• Lilydale & District Historical Society
• Tony Smith MP
• Jacki Goode, Lilydale High School
• Kieran Crowley, Lilydale High School
• Wendy Powson, Principal Lilydale High School

Lest We Forget.

Kristy Mays

VCE Humanities Teacher