“Each has won a glorious grave – not that sepulchre of earth wherein they lie, but the living tomb of everlasting remembrance wherein their glory is enshrined.” – Pericles, c. 429 BC
On November 11th, the Trinity College School community remembered those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of freedom during the annual Remembrance Day service. Although unable to gather in person, students, staff and the larger community were able gather in spirit online to pay tribute to those who served Canada, and to pray for peace.
This year’s video service was led by Major The Revd. Canon Don Aitchison, chaplain of TCS and 32 Canadian Brigade Group, with Mr. Randy Mills as organist and Chapel Choir conductor. Seated in Memorial Chapel, the school prefects continued the tradition of sharing the stories of TCS war dead. This year, they spoke of the school days and World War II service and sacrifice of Lonsdale Cowperthwaite ’32, E.N. “Ted” Heighington ’32, Frederick G. McLaren ’37, Thomas L. Alexander ’39, Hugh K. McAvity ’40 and J. Andrew C. Duncan ’42. These young men walked the same halls and played on the same sports fields as our current students. All of them died before reaching the age of 30.
The second half of the service, filmed at the Memorial Cross outside the chapel, included the reading of In Flanders Fields followed by the laying of a wreath at the base of the cross by our head prefects. Then, Headmaster Stuart Grainger read the names of TCS war dead from the Book of Remembrance before the playing of Last Post and Reveille. As the Chapel Choir sang Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep, we observed a moment to quietly reflect on “those who went out from the School, but never returned.”
We invite you to view the Remembrance Day Service: www.youtube.com/embed/bKKkiu91cm8.
For our students, Remembrance Day offered the first opportunity this year to don their full TCS uniforms, while others wore school colours, in tribute to the fallen. In addition to the service, Junior School students, in their class cohorts, visited the Memorial Cross to lay poppies and pay their respects. Senior School students had the chance to create artwork in honour of the day. Ms. Lisa Redmond explained the purpose of the project, which was done in cohorts throughout the afternoon, was for students to reflect on what peace means to them, using drawings or words and exploring through all of their senses just how peace feels. “It opens the discussion of how do we create peace within our lives now,” she said, “and create peace for others.”
