Harpenden pupils earn praise for First World War project

DIARIES of trench warfare proved such an inspiration for students of a Harpenden school that a number of them won prizes for their efforts.

Year 9 pupils at St George’s School in Sun Lane compiled the diaries after being inspired by a day studying World War One last term.

Ten winners emerged from a long homework project and three received prizes at the Beds and Herts Western Front Association meeting at the school.

Head of history at St George’s, David Waters, who works with the association was impressed by the sincerity and true-to-life accounts in the winning batch.

He said: “They have captured the atmosphere – the smells, the pain, the horror, the rats and the mud as well as the emotions of the soldiers.

“Many used original archive material we have in school from Georgians of the time and there are plenty of resources on-line too.”

He singled out one of the three prize-winners, Erin Doye, who had based her diary on a member of her family who went through the conflict.

Head Norman Hoare applauded all the students and added: “Contrary to the scaremongers, our history department teaches the right stuff about the past. Understanding the major events of the twentieth century and the suffering of war, whether on the home or military front, is important.”