Reflections on "D-DAY"

Ah yes! I remember it well.

I was eleven years old and a 1 st year pupil at LGS.

Our class was in the girls' cloakroom getting ready for our ‘PT' lesson.

We were in our bottle-green knickers and liberty bodices and donning our short-sleeved PT dresses (green, of course, an all-in one dress with divided skirt).

Suddenly, the door burst open and a senior girl shouted ‘They've landed in Normandy !'

Everyone cheered and we jumped up and down on the lockers. We were so overjoyed at the good news.

After four and a half years of hostility and austerity, it was wonderful to hear such great news.

We were the lucky ones.

School Assemblies, particularly on 11 th . November, were poignant reminders of our good fortune and of the tragedy of those who gave their lives.

I found it difficult to sing the hymn ‘O Valiant Hearts', and still do….

It was very difficult for our Headmaster to announce the loss of old students - especially those who had left the school very recently.

Lest we forget!

Today, I've been reading through the School Magazines from 1939-1945. Looking particularly at lists of old students serving in the forces – there are hundreds. There are wonderful accounts of bravery, anguish, misfortune and fortitude.

Twenty of them made the ultimate sacrifice.
The school swimming bath is of course our memorial to them and the eleven old students lost in the First World War.

Monica Connor (nee Brierley) 1943 – ‘49