7/5/2008

Surrey Local News

Youngsters' war studies in Australia and Thailand

A GROUP of Godalming College students have described their "once-in-a-lifetime" trip to Australia and Thailand where they investigated the impact of war.

The 27 history students won their places on the Big Lottery-funded study trip in a national schools competition, organised by the Imperial War Museum as part of the 'Their Past, Your Future' project.

The Australian leg focused on how the two world wars in the 20th Century have shaped the country’s sense of national identity.

Based in the capital, Canberra, the students visited the only Japanese war cemetery in the world at Cowra, and spoke to veterans.

They conducted interviews and posted them on the Radiowaves website.

"Incredible opportunity"

The group also watched the ANZAC Day (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) remembrance parade, and listened to a speech by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

During their four days in Thailand the students travelled through the Kanchanaburi region visiting the sites of the Thai-Burma railway, built by prisoners of war.

On her return from the trip, Lucy Sinclair-Brown said: “It really was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit these sites and meet the people who were there. I think we all realised how important a trip like this was.”

History tutor Carole Chapman added: “This was an incredible opportunity for the students and it goes outside the box of what we are normally able to do.”

First printed in: Surrey Advertiser Online

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