PICTURES: Buxton pupils bury time capsule to remember soldiers of WW1

On Monday, March 12 pupils from St Thomas More and Buxton Community School read poems to honour the sacrifice of the men who died fighting.

Speaking at the service Joe Torkington, a Y13 English literature pupil from Buxton Community Schools said: “Being involved in a project like this has given me a better understanding of what it was like for people who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

“This is their legacy that will continue to live on and we will not forget what they did for us.”

Inside the box there are poems from the students as well as a silver medal for a wounded World War One soldier as well as letters from the trenches and Christmas cards.

Pupil Logan Powner from St Thomas More said: “It’s good to remember although nothing can ever compare to what these soldiers who were only young at the time went through for this country’s freedom.”
The time capsule in Sparrow Park, on Hardwick Square East behind Greggs, will now be blessed in a special service on April 1 which signifies 100 years since the creation of the Royal Air Force. A commemorative piece of limestone, donated by Tarmac at Tunstead, will be placed above the time capsule.

Mo Stewart has been organising this event since before Christmas. She said: “The students have shown a level of maturity working on a project like this and I am really proud of them all.

“We got together on a rainy day in Buxton and I think that the bad weather made it more relevant as it brought home just some of the horrible conditions which young men who were fighting for our freedom would have had to put up with daily.”

Bob Nicol president of the Buxton branch of the Royal British Legion said: “It is so important things like this continue because if they don’t in two generations all memories of the war could be lost forever but by getting the younger generation involved they will remember this moment and talk about it.”

At the burying ceremony Mayor of the High Peak Councillor Matt Stone reiterated he was pleased the baton of remembrance was being passed on to a younger generation.