Combined schools Anzac service marks 100th anniversary of RAAF

Narrogin’s five schools came together to pay their respects to service members past and present at a combined schools service at Memorial Park last week.

Hosted by East Narrogin Primary School on Thursday, the service also marked the 100th anniversary of the Royal Australian Air Force.

The service involved students from East Narrogin Primary School, St Matthews Primary School, Narrogin Primary School, Narrogin Senior High School and the WA College of Agriculture — Narrogin.

Summer Dale, a Year 6 student from East Narrogin PS, spoke to the crowd about the bravery of RAAF pilot Len Waters.

Mr Waters, who dreamed of becoming a pilot from his youth, was the only Indigenous man to serve as a RAAF fighter pilot during World War II.

During his service, he flew more than 90 missions and even survived an undetonated Japanese shell that wedged itself in his cockpit mid-air.

The event also featured a combined schools choir for the first time, with students providing a stirring rendition of the national anthem and I Am Australian.

East Narrogin PS deputy principal Joanna Hayes was responsible for organising the service.

“The students were all very respectful and listened well and because a lot of them played a part it probably made it a little more interesting for them,” Ms Hayes said.

“We don’t do a lot of things together so this is the one thing that we all do to pay our respects to the Anzacs.”