Level 3 Drama Students Visit Waiouru Army Museum

This Drama class is studying the play Once On Chunuk Bair by Maurice Shadbolt and the historical/social background to it for both devising their own short drama, and for one of their exams. To help their understanding of the world of the play, on Tuesday May 10, Mrs Coetzee (HOD) and Mr Burton led a visit to the Army Museum where everyone was very well looked after by their educational staff. Students were given a tour of the quite extensive Gallipoli display and learned from a makeup artist how to create realistic battlefield wounds! Stretcher operation was also taught. Our young men engaged well with the material and enjoyed developing their background understanding – very relevant also to our recent ANZAC service. Students were also able to handle a WW1 revolver which has been donated to the Museum by Mr Burton’s family. It belonged to his great uncle and has a fascinating story. His GU, Sgt Robert Thomas (of Taumarunui) was with a colleague in the trenches in France (Bapaume) when his mate was killed by a sniper bullet. Thomas stalked the sniper and shot him with the revolver, then, in WW2 wore it as a member of the Taumarunui Home Guard.