HUMANITIES

COMMEMORATIVE CEREMONY

The Lilydale RSL has begun commemoration ceremonies for the centenary of the deaths of local veterans. Our School Captain, Shelby Parsons, was invited by the President of the RSL, Don Parsons to be a part of the most recent commemorative ceremony.

On 18 September, 1915, James Drummond Burns was killed in action at Shrapnel Gully on the Gallipoli Peninsula. Burns was the son of the local Presbyterian Reverend and was a renown poet. His poem, 'The Bugles of England', was published in 1914 and summed up the feelings of many Australians about supporting England in the War.

‘The Bugles of England’ has since been hailed as one of the great poems of World War 1, and is often used by historians to sum up the mood of Australia in those early months of war.

One hundred years later, Shelby read Burns’ poem at the commemorative service at the Lilydale Cenotaph. In attendance were RSL members; the current Speaker, The Hon. Tony Smith; former Speaker, The Hon. Christine Fyffe; the Mayor of the Yarra Ranges, Ms Maria McCarthy, Year 10 History students from LHS and local primary students.

Shelby and the students who attended on the day are to be congratulated on their support of the local community.

Lest we forget.

The Bugles of England

The bugles of England were blowing o'er the sea,

As they had called a thousand years, calling now to me;

They wake me from dreaming in the dawning of the day,

The bugles of England - and how could I stay?

The banners of England, unfurled across the sea,

Floating out upon the wind, were beckoning to me;

Storm-rent and battle-torn, smoke-stained and grey,

The banners of England, and how could I stay?

O England, I heard the cry of those that died for thee,