Learning About World War 2

Primary 6 and 7 children were having a discussion with Mrs Reavey about choosing a new topic to explore in “The World Around Us”

The children came up with a wide range of suggestions, one of which was war.

Many of the children had stories to tell about things they had heard about WW2, and some had relations or family friends who could actually remember the war, so a lot of excitement was generated and they decided very quickly that WW2 was the topic they wanted to investigate.

 Visitors to the school even brought in some very exciting articles to show them, which included a prisoner of war’s escape map, a German medal which a German prisoner being held near Gilford had swapped with a local person for a packet of cigarettes and ration books. The children wrote fantastic poems which reflected the feelings of soldiers and their feelings and produced some lovely artwork. Here are some which we hope you enjoy.

A Soldier’s Poem

War Alphabet poem

A disease floating around,

Behind, in front and on the ground.

Children screaming and crying,

Destruction from planes flying.

Exit the war, be a coward,

For the general be saying ‘Go forward’.

Going from the lovely wife,

Holding my weapon and my knife.

I tried to take the shot,

Just it got to hot.

Knowing the Nazi’s attacked, 

Little children crying, ‘come back’. 

My sister hugging me,

Now we have a remembrance tree.

Others yelling for help, 

Peoples friends are trying to yelp.  

Questions popping in my head,

Really wishing to be in bed.

Sometimes thinking, ‘What happened?,

 Telegraphs saying ‘death happened’.

Under the helmet sat a young boy,

Very much missing his father’s joy

We want to escape this land,

expand the army band.

You wouldn’t want a loss,

Zones you shouldn’t dare to cross.

By Brendan

I see the tears in their eyes,

I hear the fear in my lies

I saw my children going for now,

I saw my wife go to work for them now,

I am with the men on the ship,

I’m going on a horrible trip,

I’m training with the army,

I’m looking over Belfast they’re trying to destroy and harm,

I got the letter I’m off to France to fight,

I’m trying to build up my courage; I might get a fright,

I landed on the coast of France and I saw,

Tens of thousands of men dying by the landing,

Men are dying all around we are crawling in the mud,

All around hoping we do not be seen,

My wife at home making all we have today,

I hope I can see her one day,

Finally I’m home and my children are on their way,

My wife is celebrating because it’s V.E day!

Recently Plunkett brought in the Nazi medal that a German prison of war in Gilford swapped for a packet of cigarettes

I am a soldier in World War

2

I see people being killed in every

Direction

I am in a battle field fear all around

Me

I smell the smell of death all around

Me

I feel the cold hard gun in my

Hand

I hear bombs exploding all around

Me

I hear bombs people

Screaming

I am scared will I ever go

Home?

I am a soldier in WW2,

Walking around not knowing what to do.

My children have left on the train,

I am crying in so much pain.

Now I go off to the battle fields,

Someone help me please oh please.

Six years in, I am in so much pain,

The same things happen over and over again, oh how I hope to see my children again.

All I can smell is rubble burn, all I want to do at this point is turn.