Mt Carmel School, Paige, Year 6

Students at Mt Carmel School in Yass were given the task to write to a soldier. The following letter and poem was written by year 6 student Paige.

Dear Anzac soldiers and army,

The first thing I would like to say is I am so incredibly thankful for your services to our country. If it weren't for your services Australia would be living our worst lives. I have the highest respect possible for the whole army and can’t wait to hear the new plans you have to keep Australia and New Zealand safe.

The training you go through is incredibly hard and I don’t know how you do it. From what I’ve seen you have to do swimming, running, obstacle courses, first aid, and shooting. For me, that’s a lot to do in just a little amount of time and it would be hard to process all the training into your memory, so thank you for giving up a lot of your time to give to Australia's people. I don’t know how you do any of it. It amazes me to learn about the training you go through to get into the army. I have even more respect for all of you when you go through this training to save our country although you know you could lose your lives.

The whole army has taught me to stay strong and to put others before me. You are putting your life at risk for the whole of Australia to save our lives and that is the highest level of respect and generosity. Also when you don’t mind or even whine about the food or how much training you do amazes me. I could never do what you do and would love to learn more about the experience.

As a project, I would love to meet up with your team and study about the planes, the training and maybe a small interview on what it is like to be a soldier in the army, what it is like to be on the battlefield and what it is like without your family for such long periods.

Once again thank you so much for your service to Australia and hopefully, you get this note.

Regards

Paige

Poem

The days are long and hard,
As poppy’s turn red,
As the battlefields grow old,
And as your families grow tired.

But you are strong,
And you are brave,
And when you step onto that battlefield,
We only pray.

We pray that you make it back alive,
And that you will remember us,
As we will always remember you.

For your fellow soldiers,
Say to yourself,
They are happy in heaven,
And have died to save us.

Remember,
We have respect for you,
And always will,
For that, you have served our country,
And risked it all,
For me.

So keep fighting,
As we will keep fighting to remember you,
And as we remember you,
You stay strong,
Stay brave,
And stay tough,
As we will never forget you.

Lest we forget