1. Remembrance
Gather
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2. An opportunity to reflect upon an unlikely ‘war hero’.
Remembrance
w/b 6th November 2017
An opportunity to reflect upon an unlikely ‘war hero’.

3. Armistice Day is on 11 November and is also known as Remembrance Day.
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Armistice Day is on 11 November and is also known as Remembrance Day.
It marks the day World War One ended, at 11am on the 11th day of the 11th month, back in 1918.
A two-minute silence is held at 11am to remember military personnel who have died in wars.

4. Remembrance
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On this day, there are usually ceremonies at war memorials and churches throughout the country, as well as abroad.
The Royal Family and top politicians gather in Whitehall, London for a memorial service.
The first two-minute silence in Britain was held on 11 November 1919, when King George V asked the public to observe a silence at 11am.

5. ‘Love your enemies and do good to those who hate you.’
Remembrance
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This is Owen Thomas who was born in When World War One began he was 21. Many young men of Owen’s age joined the army.
Owen was a Christian and followed the teachings of Jesus as he understood them.
‘Love your enemies and do good to those who hate you.’
He believed it was his Christian duty not to fight but to love his enemies.

6. Remembrance
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After two years, when more and more soldiers were needed, the British government demanded that every man of the right age who was fit must join the military.
If anyone refused, they were shamed as cowards and often sent to prison.
What should Owen do now?
You may wish to discuss if with students what Owen should do.
You may wish to let school values of kindness courage integrity hope responsibility guide your discussion

7. Owen decided that he would join the NCC.
Remembrance
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Eventually the British government set up the Non Combatant Corps. It was a military unit where men did not have to carry a gun. Instead you would be given other work: carrying stretchers, loading and unloading supplies and digging trenches.
Owen decided that he would join the NCC.

8. Remembrance
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There were about 8000 people in Britain who joined the NCC the year it started in It enabled Owen to serve his country, but also follow Jesus’ teaching as he understood it.

9. Remembrance
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By joining the NCC Owen knew that in all likelihood he would be sent straight to the front line. Sure enough he spent the next two years in France carrying stretchers in the most dangerous parts of the battlefield.
By the end of the war proportionally more NCC members died than any other military Corp

10. Hope, Kindness, Courage, Integrity, Trust, Respect, Responsibility
Remembrance
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Over the course of history there have been millions of victims of war.
Each individual life lived and lost has their own story.
How does Owens story demonstrate our school values?
Hope, Kindness, Courage, Integrity, Trust,
Respect, Responsibility
Hope Kindness Courage Integrity Trust Respect Responsibility

11. Remembrance
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12. Remembrance
Response
May the sacrifice of Owen Thomas inspired by his understanding of the words of Jesus challenge us to have the integrity to stand for what we believe in and courage to dare to hope for peace.
May we embrace our responsibility to interrupt ‘the spiral’ by showing kindness to both friends and enemies on Armistice Day.

13. He returned home when the war was over.
Remembrance
Response
As for Owen he was one of 6 survivors in his company of 100 non-combatants.
He returned home when the war was over.
He died in 1977, aged 84. At his funeral, the minister said ‘He never said a bad word about anyone.’