HANDMADE poppies were placed at Moorak Primary School last Friday as the community recognised those who fought for Australia’s freedom.
In the lead-up to Remembrance Day last Sunday, the school community held its own service showing respect for the sacrifices of the personnel of the nation’s defence forces.
World War II veteran and spitfire aircraft pilot Charlie Miller, 95, was honoured to be present on the day, sharing history with the school.
“My wife who died some years ago and her sister went to Moorak Primary School in 1936,” Mr Miller told the students on Friday.
“Remembrance Day is about us remembering the terrible things that occurred throughout war.
“Wars between nations never solved anything and hundreds of thousands of people lost their lives.”
Mr Miller elaborated on his experience.
“To be a pilot you had to be very alert, have good hearing and even had to have the type of eyesight they call provisional vision,” Mr Miller said.
“But when we fired our guns we did not know who we were hitting and whether or not we were hitting the enemy.”
Year 7 school captains Ned and Josh shared their connections with Remembrance Day.
Ned’s great grandfather was a cook in the war and Josh’s great uncle was a “front liner”, bringing home the importance of the day to the two boys.
Mr Miller said it was exciting to fly a fighter plane.
“You boys would love it,” he said.
“We flew at about 300 miles per hour, which is very fast.
“One of the great things was when we were being naughty and used to fly very close to the ground.”
He is one of few returned World War II servicemen remaining in the region and vowed to continue to share his story, with hopes of returning to the Moorak ceremony next year.
“Every decision to attack was made by a British general sitting in a cozy office in London who was not even there to see what he was doing,” he said.
“The planes I flew were pure war machines and were not designed for comfort.
“We used to have to land spitfires with our heads stuck out the window and come in from an angle to land straight.”
Mount Gambier Returned and Services League (RSL) committee member Ian Summers was invited to lay the wreath at the Moorak ceremony.
Mr Miller was surprised at questions the students asked.
“It seems to me the war many years ago is a puzzle in their minds,” he said.
“They can not quite grasp what it is, so the questions they ask are relating to what has puzzled them.
“They ask me if I was ever afraid or frightened, but I was too busy and we just had a job to do.”
Moorak Primary School teacher Penne Paltridge said education about the conflicts had been integrated in the school’s curriculum in recent years.
“Because it is the centenary of Remembrance Day and I share connection with the battles, my Year 4 and 5 class has looked at all Australians involved in World War II,” she said.
“Our whole back wall in our classroom is completely covered in posters, flags, memorial work and poppies.
Ms Paltridge said students would have the opportunity to build further on their knowledge when they visit the Australian War Memorial next year.
“The kids get right into the learning, they bring in photographs and items they have from relatives that fought in the war,” she said.
“We make sure we do a whole round view, not glorifying it and making sure they are all aware that this is our history.
“It is what Australia is built on and also teaches them respect.”
Ms Paltridge said the school has close community connections, recently visiting the RSL museum.
“We are currently doing projects with the RSL and are building our own remembrance garden,” she said.
“We will also be involved with the Mount Gambier Airport as they get their World War II history up and running.”
