The Annual Service of Remembrance took place on Friday 8th November. This event is traditionally held on the Friday before Remembrance Sunday. Year 11, Year 13 and invited guests attended the service which this year focused on Gowertonian Penry Guy.
Penry Guy was from Penclawdd and attended Gowerton school from 1933-37. When World War 2 started he was only 17 years old, the same age as some of our 6th formers. By 1944, he was 22 years old and a member of bomber command in the Royal Air Force. During one night in June 1944 133 Lancaster Bombers and 6 Mosquitoes were sent to attack a synthetic oil production target at Wesseling, an industrial German City. During the raid, German night fighters attacked the bomber force and 37 Lancaster planes were lost. One of these Lancaster planes was piloted by Penry Guy.
The Lancaster bomber, of which he was pilot was hit while over Belgium on the night of June 21/22 1944. Penry Guy told his 6 crewmen to ‘Jump or die’ and parachute to safety. His crewmen did this. He then managed to control the plane long enough to avoid the village and thus saved its residents. Although Penry Guy lost his life he had heroically saved his 6 crewmen and the lives of the villagers. 70 years later a villager found parts of the Lancaster Bomber and researched Penry Guy. Gowerton School was contacted and since then we have formed a close relationship with the village.
The schools has been privileged to attend memorial services held in the village of Asch on the 70th, 75th and 80th anniversaries.
The banner donated by the village of Asch on the 75th anniversary proudly hangs in the main hall.
In June this year to commemorate the 80th Anniversary Mr McGinley and a group of school representatives attended the services held in Belgium. The vocal group sang and the senior strings group both performed at the graveside. They both then performed at the site of the crash, where there is a beautiful memorial.
The Annual Service of Remembrance was particularly moving remembering Penry Guy and other Gowertonians from both World Wars. Miss Lawlor, Mr McGinley, Head boy Ellis Jones and Head Girl Isla Bradley led the service. Major Dean Owen, a Gowertonian read the poem ‘The Man We Never Knew’ followed by musical items from the senior woodwind trio. Katie Peters provided atmospheric piano music as well as accompanying the hymn. Millie Colebrook(Year 13) played the emotional last post beautifully.
Millie is an excellent brass player and has performed the last post at every Remembrance service for the last 6 years. We will miss her superb playing as she is Year 13 and will be in University this time next year.
