A British naval victory in the First World War has been remembered at the Chippendale school.
The Battle of the Falkland Islands took place on the 8th December 1914, and effectively destroyed the German South Atlantic Squadron.
The battle is still commemorated on the Falkland Islands, and every year in the islands’ capital Stanley there is a memorial service and parade.
But the commemoration isn’t just about victory. It also remembers the heavy German death toll. Of the eight German ships involved, only two escaped. There were only 215 German survivors.
The battle was also revenge for an earlier German victory the month before, when German naval forces under Admiral Graf Maximilian von Spee sank two British cruisers in the Battle of Coronel off the coast of Chile.
It’s a day of remembrance that was also marked this year at the school, with Darren Christie giving an informal overview to the other students about the lifestyle, wildlife and politics of the Falklands.
Darren is the first student we’ve had from the Falkland Islands. A qualified zoologist, Darren most recently worked for the Falkland Islands government.
He hopes to return to the Falkland Islands after his course and set up his own woodworking business.