During the Easter holidays, two of our students, Dominic S and Dan Q (both L6, Year 12), had the incredible honour of performing under the historic Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres, Belgium, alongside the Cathedral Isle of Man Choir.
Their visit to Ypres was part of a three-day trip, during which the choir toured several significant World War I memorials.
Reflecting on the experience, Dominic shared:
“We were in Ypres for three days, visiting a number of WW1 memorials. When you’re told figures and numbers, your mind can’t really process them, but seeing the expanse of individual gravestones and the sheer number of graveyards in a city where so many died was truly moving. To then also have the opportunity to sing at the Menin Gate whilst surrounded by the names of British and Commonwealth soldiers killed in the Ypres Salient was incredible. I’m so thankful for the opportunity – it was such a powerful experience, and I hope to return to Ypres in the future.”
Here’s what Dan said:
“The experience was very special for me, as two of my great-grandfathers fought on the Western Front. It was a fantastic and emotional experience; we visited Tyne Cot Cemetery, where almost 12,000 soldiers who fought in the First World War are buried. There is a memorial in the cemetery commemorating a Manx soldier, Private Robert Vick, on the Wall of Remembrance. The choir sang Ellan Vannin in his memory, which was a particularly poignant moment. The highlight of our trip was singing at the Menin Gate, where we performed two pieces, including ‘The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, is Ended’, written by OKW John Ellerton.”
You can read more about their experience on the BBC here.
