The Shadows of the Great War

During Term 3 week 5, Year 9 students participated in a field trip to Shantytown to learn about and experience what life was like on the home front for people from Māwhera during World War One. This trip included valuable cross-curricular learning, with emphasis on the Social Sciences, Arts, Drama and Home Front History. 

Students initially spent time in a 1910s decade classroom, where they learned about the background to WW1, the reasons behind Aotearoa’s involvement in it, and how it impacted on Māwhera. Students then interacted with the past by preparing gift parcels which would have been delivered to the soldiers overseas, and wrote accompanying letters to boost their morale.

A steam train excursion followed which led to discussion about how the soldiers had to catch a stagecoach from Otira to Arthurs pass village en-route to the war. This was before the Otira tunnel was completed in 1923. After this students split into two groups; the first group visited the hospital and learned about the issues affecting injured and sick soldiers, including how they were treated. The second group carried out a scavenger hunt, finding clues to a letter rewritten by a young Greymouth woman, Nell Brennan, to her fiancé who was serving abroad.  The students thoroughly enjoyed the collaborative and hands-on learning experience and participated with enthusiasm.

The final activity was a dramatic reenactment of VC winner, Private Samuel Frickleton’s return home from the war to recuperate in 1916.  He was the key participant in a commemorative church service, on the first anniversary of the ANZAC landings at Gallipoli in 1915. The whole experience enabled students to gain empathy for what the war experience was like for soldiers, medical teams, families and the wider community.

Thanks to Allison and Amy from the Marsden Valley Education Centre for facilitating this visit and to the other staff at Shantytown. And thanks to Lynne Berry for the photos.