On the 22 March, St Thomas More Catholic School in Wood Green was delighted to welcome Professor Kurt Barling from Middlesex University to lead a special Year 8 assembly on ‘The Hidden Heroes of WW1’. The assembly tied in with the arrival of an inspirational exhibition which encouraged students to investigate some of the more hidden stories of colonial soldiers during WWI, focussing particularly on the impact of men who fought for Britain from parts of the British Empire such as India, Trinidad and Sri Lanka.
Professor Barling delivered a talk on his research work and the importance of history to young people and was also happy to discuss his career in journalism to an excited audience. Students particularly enjoyed finding out about how and why he got involved in researching the Great War and were captivated by the stories he told. At the end of the session, Professor Barling said, ‘I was very impressed with the youngsters this morning. They were attentive, respectful and asked great questions.’
Students will follow up the work on the exhibition by attending a session at the National Archive in Kew with the aim of developing their historical understanding and research skills through using evidence and artefacts based on the actions of the Middlesex Regiment, the local regiment that the ‘Hidden Heroes’ Exhibition is centred on.
