The annual Anzac Address is an important part of our school Anzac Service.  In recent years the address has been given by a Year 13 History student and has explored the life and death of an Old Boy in war.  This year's Anzac Address was given by Jacob Waugh, who spoke about Phillip Wallace Smith.  Unfortunately, there were technical issues with the recording of Jacob's speech on the day so this speech was recorded separately so that we could share it with our community.

Mr Murray – Rector PNBHS 1919 – 1946 - read the prayer below in assembly in 1944. The prayer was found in our school archives on a handwritten note and with the prayer were the details of the death in service of Pilot Officer Bayliss who died in the Solomon Islands – drowned at sea on active service in 1944. We share this prayer annually at our school ANZAC service.

Below are photographs of Mr. Murray’s note from our archives.

“Dear Lord

Lest I continue my complacent way:

Help me to remember,

Somewhere out there,

A man died for me today.

As long as there be war,

I then must ask and answer,

Am I worth dying for?”

Mr. Murray was regularly required to inform the students and staff of the school of the death of Old Boys during the Second World War. Many of these men would have been well known to the students and staff and the toll that the war took on the school community and wider Palmerston North community is hard to comprehend.