By Harry Rogers and Max Pearson
Crowds gather in Hawthorn Square
Despite an ongoing perception that young people don’t care about Armistice Day, a considerable number of students attended DMU’s Remembrance Day Service today.
And across campus scores of other staff and students honoured the silence as a mark of respect to the fallen at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.
Students of all ages gathered in silence at the service in Hawthorn Square to pay tribute to the men and women who have fought for the freedom of others.
Sam Fletcher, a first year Mechatronics student ,said: “I always try to make a service and if I can’t I always have a two minutes silence.”
Mr Fletcher, whose great-great grandfather died during the First World War, also attended a Remembrance Sunday service with St Johns Ambulance.
He added: “Although some young people don’t have the respect that they should, I feel that the majority do.”
Dennis Stone watches on as Professor Dominic Shellard gives his address
Dennis Stone, a security guard at the University and former member of the 3rd Battalion, Light Infantry, led the two-minute silence in Hawthorn Square after delivering the poem, ‘For the Fallen.’
Vice Chancellor Professor Dominic Shellard, who hosted the event, also spoke of former students who did not return from the trenches.
Afterwards he took to Twitter, stating: ‘It was particularly gratifying to see so many students.’
Terri Fountain, a third year nursing student, said that Armistice Day “means a lot to my family as I have a lot of family members in the forces.”
Ophélie Castellani, a French international student, added: “It is really important to me as my father was in the army. I had to be here.”
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