A journey through the First World War

Worth took Year 9 pupils on a journey through the First World War battles at Ypres during our annual History trip to Belgium.

This day trip began with a visit to the German war cemetery at Langemark, which provided a stark contrast to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries visited later in the day. One grave at Langemark contains 24,917 servicemen, including the World War One flying ace Werner Voss.

Pupils then went to Essex Farm Cemetery, which is where John McCrae wrote the famous war poem In Flanders Fields. While here, the School held a small ceremony which included laying a wreath to honour servicemen from the area local to Worth who were killed during the battles in and around Ypres.

The group moved on to the Menin Gate memorial in Ypres and then Passchendaele Memorial Museum, which is a Belgian museum devoted to the 1917 Battle of Passchendaele where, in only 100 days, almost 500,000 men were killed for the gain of only eight kilometres of ground. The tour of Ypres Salient finished with Tyne Cot Cemetery, which is the largest Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery on the Western Front.

Pupils also enjoyed time visiting Ypres Market Square, which included going to a shop selling finest Belgian chocolate.

While this trip is optional, it complements classroom studies and gives pupils great insight into the harsh realities of the First World War.

Trips are an important part of an education at Worth. Every year students take part in a wide variety of charitable, educational and sports trips, at home and abroad.

For more on studying History at GCSE or in the Sixth Form click here.

For more on trips at Worth click here.