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Talented young writers to be part of 95th Anniversary commemorations at Gallipoli

Wednesday 14 April 2010, 10:02PM

By Method Communications

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Alana Stretton (left and Holly Hunter (right) from ACG Strathallan
Alana Stretton (left and Holly Hunter (right) from ACG Strathallan Credit: Nigel King

PAPAKURA

Instead of listening to the last post and those heart wrenching lines from Laurence Binyon's famous poem at local services in Clevedon and Karaka, this Anzac Day Holly Hunter and Alana Stretton will be listening to them at Anzac Cove in Gallipoli. The two Year 13 students from ACG Strathallan College will be flying to Turkey and joining John Key, Veterans, VIPs, NZ Defence Force personnel and other members of the official NZ delegation for the service marking the 95th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings.


"I'm so excited. I can't wait," says Alana, her girlish tones a contrast to the maturity of writing in the competition piece she submitted to the Prime Minister's competition this year. The topic was, ‘Using Gallipoli as a case study, illustrate the impact of World War I on New Zealand Society’. Both girls chose diary entries as their format from: short films, web features, artistic representations, written formats, music and poetry. Both of the essays show depth and research of writers far beyond their years.


As winners, they fly out on April the 19th and after spending two days in a military camp in Wellington, head for Turkey via Darwin, Sharjah and Istanbul. They will attend the Dawn Service and meet various Ambassadors as well as spending some time with The Prime Minister. It's an experience and insight into New Zealand history that few teenagers will ever have in their lifetime.


Holly's essay takes an interesting diary format, switching back and forth in time from a modern day blogging teenager doing a history project to the diaries of a heart-broken child whose father has gone to war. It also includes the thoughts of all the people around the girl and when she tragically commits suicide, the pain is real, raw and very believable. She drew her inspiration from one of her favourite authors who favours that style. It's so real it's hard to believe that it was all written from scratch. The emotions portrayed are so realistic that anyone would swear they are genuine diary entries from the time.


Alana's essay is a more traditional diary style with incredible detail of the impact of the war on farming families – the strain on women doing very physical labour and making decisions on how to run the farms; the anguish experienced when the dreaded letters arrived informing family that yet another son had died; the efforts made by desperate relatives to send items of comfort to the boys at the front; and the repercussions that the stress of the situation had on the way people left at home treated each other.


To research, Alana read books and had lengthy conversations with family members. Her family are from a farming background in Taranaki and her Nana and other relatives had plenty of stories that had been passed down about what it was like here while the men were at war. Both girls had family members who fought in the world wars and Alana's great grandfather actually fought in Gallipoli.


Clarence van der Wel, ACG Strathallan Executive Principal at the time of the announcement says, "I am absolutely delighted on the success of Holly and Alana. To have the opportunity to represent New Zealand at a ceremony which means so much to us as a country will be an enriching experience. As a school we are very excited for the girls and we know they will be wonderful ambassadors for both the school and the country."


So as the last post plays at that place where so many New Zealanders lost their lives, Alana and Holly will be part of that very special and privileged experience. A new generation remembering what their forefathers fought for. No longer the glory of war but a sadness at a brutal loss of life and the devastation to those they left behind.


-ENDS-
For more information contact:
Margot Bawden
09 834 5359
0210 240 4234

Alexia Santamaria
09 834 6697
021 337 772