On a very cold & rainy day as it was 64 years ago, 40 students from Windsor Secondary in North Vancouver traveled to Cassino Italy to pay tribute to those soldiers who lost their lives during the WWII Battles for Montecassino & the Liri Valley. The students placed flags at all 855 graves, laid wreaths, read poems, sang hymns at the Tomb of the Unknown soldier, at the Iron Cross and at the Tomb for the Unidentified Canadian soldiers, 192 of them.Two soldiers are related to families of Windsor Secondary, Captain James T Crook and Corporal DW Smith. The students read poems, read a passage about the life of each soldier, placed wreaths, made rubbings for the families and placed a memento from the family at the grave. After 3 1/2 hours students reluctantly left the cemetery very cold and wet and pleased about what they had done. Many were struck by the young age of these men, many their own age. This visit has had a profound affect on many of the students and on their respect for those who gave their lives so that we may live the lives we do today. "Lest we not forget"
March 2009 the school will again visit Cassino War Cemetery. We are searching for families who have ancestors buried at Cassino. Contact jbest@nvsd44.bc.ca