A grade 12 pupil’s essay and grasp of a World War 1 battle in which many South African soldiers lost their lives has resulted in an invitation to represent South Africa at two commemorative ceremonies in France later this year.
Clarendon High School for Girls pupil Wendy van Wyk’s entry in the Delville Wood essay writing competition was selected as one of the top three in the country.
The competition is organised by the South African Commemorative Delville Wood Trust to commemorate 100 years since the World War 1 battle.
Wendy has now been selected along with the two other essay writers to represent the country at two ceremonies to be held at Delville Wood France, where she will lay a wreath on behalf of her school and her country.
Wendy said although she was a history student she still had to do a bit of reading to prepare for the essay and was left speechless by the number of South African soldiers who were part of the battle.
She said: “3153 looks like just a number that has been written casually, – but scrolling through the names of each and every identity that entered the war zone gives the number a lot more of a humbling and heartbreaking quality. Suddenly that number is filled with thousands of muddy and scared faces with eyes that long for their familiar African sun.”
She said she had decided that her essay would focus on looking at what South Africa as a nation could gain from the gruesome experience.
“Our country was facing issues of its own regarding the apartheid regime, despite this the Battle of Delville Wood definitely formed a sense of unity within the country and brought so many together as a way for people to find support in one another,” she said.
Wendy believes it is important to look at the conflict as something that brought people together and a reminder there is strength in unity.
“The war did indeed take from us and we are eternally saddened by the effects but we also found our humanity and helped each other heal. That is a lesson I believe can be used to see us through even some of the ills facing us today.”
Wendy believes that attending the memorials will give her a new found sense of pride in the country’s role in the battle.
Wendy’s essay on bloody battle tops
Clarendon High School for Girls pupil Wendy van Wyk’s entry in the Delville Wood essay writing competition was selected as one of the top three in the country.
The competition is organised by the South African Commemorative Delville Wood Trust to commemorate 100 years since the World War 1 battle.
Wendy has now been selected along with the two other essay writers to represent the country at two ceremonies to be held at Delville Wood France, where she will lay a wreath on behalf of her school and her country.
Wendy said although she was a history student she still had to do a bit of reading to prepare for the essay and was left speechless by the number of South African soldiers who were part of the battle.
She said: “3153 looks like just a number that has been written casually, – but scrolling through the names of each and every identity that entered the war zone gives the number a lot more of a humbling and heartbreaking quality. Suddenly that number is filled with thousands of muddy and scared faces with eyes that long for their familiar African sun.”
She said she had decided that her essay would focus on looking at what South Africa as a nation could gain from the gruesome experience.
“Our country was facing issues of its own regarding the apartheid regime, despite this the Battle of Delville Wood definitely formed a sense of unity within the country and brought so many together as a way for people to find support in one another,” she said.
Wendy believes it is important to look at the conflict as something that brought people together and a reminder there is strength in unity.
“The war did indeed take from us and we are eternally saddened by the effects but we also found our humanity and helped each other heal. That is a lesson I believe can be used to see us through even some of the ills facing us today.”
Wendy believes that attending the memorials will give her a new found sense of pride in the country’s role in the battle.
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