Garibaldi students experience ‘life in the trenches’

Youngsters at a Forest Town school have taken part in a special day to commemorate the outbreak of the First World War and the role Clipstone Camp played in the conflict.

A group of year 10 students from Garibaldi College visited the recreated trench at Sherwood Pines, where the camp was located, before returning to school to build trench periscopes with the help of staff in the design technology department.

Students also worked with local historian Pauline Marples along with Jodie Henshaw from Mansfield Museum to find out more about Clipstone Camp by heading out of school to get a sense of the vast scale of the site.

Visitors from The War Memorials Trust and Nottinghamshire Country Council’s Trent to Trenches team investigated the war records of men from Forest Town and Clipstone.

Youngsters also got the chance to handle artefacts from the war such as a decommissioned rifle during the enrichment day on 17th July at the school, located in Garibaldi Road.

In Science a 1914 classroom gave students a taste of school life a century ago and a field hospital allowed students to dress their injuries from an imaginary gas attack.

Meanwhile, in business studies pupils were given the full ‘trench experience’ - where their senses were assaulted by authentic sounds, smells and sights of the trenches, a school spokesman said.

And in PE students were put through their paces with a rigorous military workout before they were thrust into battle to face water balloons hurled by their opponents.

In drama, students recreated scenes from the stage production of Warhorse as part of the day.

A school spokesman told Chad: “Across the college work was done towards our forthcoming exhibition in Mansfield Museum including students in art who produced lino prints as part of their BTEC project ‘Lest we forget’.

“In maths students created a class room-sized scale model of Clipstone Camp and in humanities students produced a trench model for display along with a fundraising First World War calendar.

“In English students used their literacy skills, empathy and understanding of the war to produce effective pieces of war poetry.

“The day was a huge success with both students and staff getting the chance to reflect on the First World War and its impacts. It set the tone for further activities over the course of the centenary.”

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