LIEUTENANT HARRY PEACHMENT (ON 08-19) ADDRESSES NORWICH SCHOOL

December 15, 2023

In the last two centuries, Great Britain has been involved in over 20 major wars, taking and losing life on every continent. In this time, Britain’s military and the wars in which it has been involved have changed markedly, from the line infantry battles of the Napoleonic Wars, to the horrific trench warfare of World War One, to the counterinsurgency of today. To keep pace with these advancements, so too, has our military’s training had to change, particularly for those officers charged with leading British troops in combat. Since World War Two, this training has been conducted at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, of which notable alumni include many members of the Royal Family, notable politicians such as Winston Churchill, and international representatives from almost 130 nations.



Training at Sandhurst is intended to take an individual with no prior military experience to a level sufficient for them to take on their first command position. My cousin, with a few years of prior service behind him, entered the Academy with a head start – but for most, 80% of whom are recent university graduates, the learning curve is steep, and the competition intense. Not to mention for the international cadets who not only have to learn an entirely new military structure but often have to do so in a second language.


That being said, many rise to the challenge, such as Sam. Sam was one of the brightest young officers his nation had, and he had been selected for training at Sandhurst in order to develop his command abilities further. A member of my cousin’s platoon, Sam was consistently at the front of the pack, fiercely intelligent, immensely fit, and always keen to learn. Whether it was rain, sleet, snow, mud, late nights or early mornings, Sam always performed, and his enthusiasm never faltered.


That was until, with just over a month until his training was concluded, something changed. Sam stopped engaging, started staring into the distance during lectures, and began falling behind on runs. He could no longer be found in the library, nor the cafeteria, and when located the most anyone could get out of him was a few words before he would retire to his room. Even on the day of their graduation, one which all cadets remember fondly and with pride, Sam stayed behind only to congratulate a handful of his peers and, as the bell struck and their training was officially concluded, Sam was nowhere to be seen.


The following day, my cousin returned home to celebrate his achievement with his friends and family. Sam, too, returned home, but not to celebration. As an officer of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, he was returning home to war, and he had a job to do.


My name is Harry Peachment, Old Norvicensian of the Class of 2019, Durham University student, and a Lieutenant in the UK’s Army Reserve. It is an honour to be asked to speak to you here today.


My journey to understanding the importance of remembrance started where you are sitting now; proudly wearing the poppy my mum gave me a pound for, too shy to sing the national anthem, listening to the names of fallen ONs as they were read out and trying, struggling, to imagine myself in their place.


Even as I grew older, and the age difference between myself and those fallen alumni grew ever shorter, I still struggled to identify with them. This changed for me when, in 2018, the Centenary of the Armistice of World War One, I was given the opportunity to travel to Northern France with the 8th Norwich Sea Scouts. We were conducting a cycling expedition through the Somme and Picardie regions of France, stopping at many of the historic sites of the Western Front. In doing so we located and honoured the names of 18 ONs, which you will hear shortly, who fell in the First World War.


I cannot possibly impress upon you the scale of what we saw, but to give you an indication, Thiepval Memorial, where Second Lieutenant Charles Skelton ON is honoured, holds over 72,000 names of British and South African servicemen with no known graves. Nearby, Neuville St Vaast, a German memorial, holds 400,000 names – so many in fact that, even with headstones stretching as far as the eye can see, each must bear 4 names. Notre Dame De Lorette, the largest French Military Cemetery in the world with 40000 buried, has a circular installation of brass panels, approximately the size of a tennis court. On them are inscribed the names of 576000 servicepeople from all nations who fell within just that region alone, listed alphabetically – one of our group, surname Brown, found four whole panels bearing his name, totalling close to 5000 lost.


Returning to Norwich, and sitting again where you are now, brought a new meaning to those names, knowing that just weeks prior I had stood before them written in stone at their final resting places. For the first time, in some small way, I felt a connection to them, and having seen the scale of the sacrifice to which they belong, my understanding and my respect grew.


This experience stayed with me until, 3 years later, I was sat in the Royal Memorial Chapel at Sandhurst for the final service before my cohort’s commissioning parade. The walls of the chapel are embossed with the Coats of Arms for every British Army regiment, existing or historical, under which are the names of officers from each regiment who have died since their foundation. For the soon-to-commission officers sat in those pews and looking up at those plaques, it was poignant to think that, should the worst come to pass, we would be honoured on those same walls, an inspiration yet a solemn reminder of commitment and sacrifice to come.


Among those honoured: Lieutenant Colonel Derek Seagrim, Victoria Cross, of the Green Howards, and his brother, Major Hugh Seagrim, George Cross, of the 19th Hyderabad Regiment; both ONs and distinguished servicemen. Seagrim House, of which I was a proud member, was established in their name during my time at the school, and finding myself beginning to follow in their footsteps into military service came with a humbling realisation.


At last, I felt that connection strengthen. It wasn’t until later, when my cousin recounted to me the story of Sam, and I tried to imagine what he must have felt sitting in that service, that I realised something else.

In remembering the past, or aspiring for the future, we must not remain blind to the present.


We remember the two world wars for a number of reasons, but chief amongst these are the scale of their sacrifice and their existential nature; Millions dead, countless injured, every rung of society impacted. For Britain, there has been no equivalent since, and in today’s world, with its unprecedented globalisation and global cooperation, at a time when conflict can be more aptly settled by the pen and not the sword, it may seem there never again will be.


Yet, throughout the world, war and conflict rages on. Those of you in the audience this time two years ago will have heard the speaker, Retired Wing Commander Steve Dean, give the frightening statistic that in the now 78 years since the end of the Second World War, there have been just two years where a British serviceperson has not been killed in action. It is safe to say that for Steve, and for those whom he served alongside during his 11 operational tours of duty, war is not something one forgets readily – for many, it has left them irrevocably marked.


Many societies understand the horrors and consequences of war because, for these societies, war has never truly ended. Without the need for poppies or silence, it is a part of them. National service, conscription, armed borders and martial law – for millions around the globe, this is their waking reality, one that we as a society have been fortunate to shed. The battlefields of Ukraine hold an ominous resemblance to the trench warfare of World War One and, no doubt, the sentiments of those involved are very much the same.


We are fortunate in this country that we no longer have to fight for our very way of life, that we have strong alliances which safeguard us, and that should we ever again be involved in a major war, it will not be one of our survival, but in support of those same allies in the struggle for world peace. We will never fight alone, and that alone is a privilege.

I do not expect you to follow my journey into the military but, with or without the uniform, each of you will be impacted by conflict in some way. The last ON to have fallen in conflict was not a soldier or officer, but an oil and gas worker, Sebastian John, who was killed in Algeria in 2013. Whether as a journalist, lawyer or politician, an aide worker, or a simple traveller, all of you will come in to contact with war or those affected by it. Some of you will go on to study alongside students from Israel or Palestine, Iraq or Afghanistan. Many of you have already welcomed Ukrainian students into your classes, some of you into your homes.


We remember the two world wars, because it is imperative that we remember what it means for a society’s very existence to be under threat. We must each work to understand this so that we may better understand the plights of others who’s reality remains defined by bloodshed. For Sam and many others, the importance of remembrance lies not in their past or their future, but now.


When you go home, turn on the news and say, for a better tomorrow, they give their today.


May 23, 2025
The children in Lower 1 and Upper 1 took to the stage at The Blake Studio to perform their rendition of the magical and enchanting musical production, Wiz Wham Alakazam to parents, grandparents and residents of The Great Hospital. In this enchanting production, the young wizards of Sun Castle faced a day like no other. One moment the sun was shining brightly over the castle, and the next it mysteriously became dimmer. The resident wizards were thrown into chaos as the Chief Wizard led the spell-casters on an adventure to bring back the light. With plenty of magic spells, and just a sprinkle of disorder, the story unfolded with excitement, charm, and laughter. From the very first scene, the children lit up the stage with confident line delivery and infectious enthusiasm. Each child played their part, whether it was casting spells, performing gymnastic and dance routines, or helping find the important but oldest Spell Book. The Ice Creatures made a dramatic entrance – eerie and impressive – with expressive performances that added just the right touch of tension. Musical numbers such as "Teamwork", "Ice Creatures", and the "Wizards of the Sun" showcased the children’s growing talent in both singing and acting. All the songs were performed with energy, clarity, and joy. The production was a celebration of creativity and teamwork, with every young performer contributing to the magic. Wiz Wham Alakazam was a joyful, spellbinding success — packed with music, movement, mystery and the unforgettable charm of Sun Castle’s youngest stars. Mrs Barclay commented "The children have worked so hard to learn their lines and songs and I am very proud of their performances. It has been a delight working with this group of passionate and talented children." 
By Eleanor Lewis May 23, 2025
This year's Children's Yoga Community Service group had great fun creating a yoga class for nursery and reception-aged children based on Julia Donaldson's book 'Superworm'. L6 pupils Uliana Bielova, Thomas Chester and Lizzie Taylor were later joined by Chloe Holmes and visited White House Farm Primary School, Magdalen Gates Primary School, our own Lower School reception class as well as four Once Upon a Time nurseries. They were greeted with lots of enthusiasm from the children and teachers/carers alike. The yoga lessons were fun, interactive and had everyone smiling!  The pupils themselves learned a variety of skills from lesson planning and working with children to public speaking and how to do yoga! They worked well as a team and got a lot out of the experience, as Lizzie Taylor explains: '‘I absolutely loved teaching kids yoga! Children are like natural bursts of serotonin, I always came back to school feeling happy.’
By Eleanor Lewis May 23, 2025
Congratulations to Lower Sixth pupils Nicholas and Kwame on their outstanding international sporting achievements this term, proudly representing Great Britain and England in Rowing and Rugby respectively. Nicholas has enjoyed a remarkable year, consistently delivering impressive performances at various GB U19 Rowing Trials. At the Spring Trial Regatta in April, he secured an excellent second place in the Pairs event, earning selection for the GB U19 Rowing Team. Competing at the Munich International Regatta, Nicholas helped the team win silver in the coxless four and double gold in the eight, triumphing over strong international competition. He will now progress to Crew Formation in July, where final selections will be made for the U19 World and European Championships. Kwame, a key member of the Boys’ 1st XV since Upper Fifth, was invited to the England U17 training camp held at Hartpury earlier this term. In a match against a university side, he made a strong impression by scoring in a victory for the national team. Kwame also continues to play a vital role in the Leicester Tigers U18 Academy side.  We are incredibly proud of both Nicholas and Kwame for these exceptional accomplishments and look forward to following their continued success in the year ahead.
By Eleanor Lewis May 22, 2025
We heard on the grapeVINE (!) that our own Head of Music for the Lower School, Mr Vine, is starting his very own chamber orchestra, so we caught up with him to find out more... How did the idea of a Norfolk Chamber Orchestra come about? For me, the perfect ensemble is a small group creating Chamber music. I love its intimacy, feel, vibe and with the right musicians you can ignite something truly special. I decided a couple of years ago that Suffolk needed a really cool string ensemble, so I set up Suffolk Chamber Orchestra and we have just given our debut concert in Aldeburgh at the Jubilee Hall, where once the great Benjamin Britten stood and performed. And I thought, why just have one orchestra! So, I also created the Norfolk Chamber Orchestra. Both groups are string ensembles, and both feature incredible local players (some ex-London professionals who now live here and some outstanding local musicians that I've taken 4 years to find) How long have you been playing music/singing? What is your musical history? My musical background started at the age of 4, I asked for a violin and that has stayed with me for my whole life. I have been very fortunate to have been able to play with every major orchestra in London and across the UK including Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic, City of London Sinfonia, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Sinfonia of London, BBC National Orchestra of Wales to name but a few. I then got into recording and session work and have worked, toured and recorded with a lot of high-profile artists such as Madonna, Oasis, Paul Weller, David Gray, Kylie, Jamiroquai, Brand New Heavies, Take That, Robbie Williams and more. I've also enjoyed working closely with underground artists such as Pressure Drop, Fabio and Grooverider, Tipper and Goldie. What kind of music does the orchestra perform? Is there any way we can listen to it? At the moment the Norfolk Chamber Orchestra is just getting started and our debut concert will be on the 21st June at the Octagon Chapel in Norwich which is a really beautiful venue. Part of our plan is to champion beautiful Norfolk venues, and this is a great one to start with. It will a concert inspired by the coming of night called 'Nachtmusik' and will feature music by Mozart, Borodin, Dvorak and a UK Premiere by Eric Whitacre of 'Sleep' arranged for String ensemble. The concert will start at 7pm and will be for 1 hour and under 12's get in free! The link for tickets is here > Norfolk Chamber Orchestra - Norwich Octagon NACHT MUSIK at Octagon Chapel event tickets from TicketSource How often do you rehearse? How does this work with your work schedule at the school? Because of how brilliant the players are, we will rehearse on the day of the concert, unless we're doing something very contemporary or new. I am the leader and director which means I have to know everything that everyone is playing as there is no conductor - another great thing about having a chamber orchestra! Everyone is together, it's a collaborative feeling. A lot of our concerts will be at weekends, so it balances nicely with my work schedule at Norwich School. Who do you think has been your greatest musical influence? Why? I feel very lucky to have met some incredible musicians throughout my life. It's not necessarily the ones who are the best musically, but I love the ones who have the best stories! I spent some time with Roger Daltry and Pete Townshend from The Who and also Robert Plant and Jimmy Page from Led Zepplin. In terms in inspiring figures, they are up there - and you can imagine the stories! Also remember having a very long night with Tom and Ed ( Chemical Brothers ) at the Cobden Club in London. They wanted to talk about the intricacies of Baroque music and Bach's influence on everything! I then went back to their studio, and they played me the demo of Galvanise! Crazy!
By Eleanor Lewis May 22, 2025
The U13 and U15 Boys tennis teams began their seasons with a fixture against Hethersett Academy at the Lower Close on Thursday 22 May. The U15s got the proceedings started with their singles matches and there were notable wins for Rufus Snelling at 1 against an opponent he had never beaten and Himash Amarawickrama at 4. Raffy Pantazis and Lucas Berney were just edged out in their singles matches so the game was in the balance going into the doubles. Things looked a little ominous as Rufus and Raffy were easily beaten but thankfully Lucas and his partner, Milo Delahunty levelled up the match with a convincing 6-2 win in their doubles match. So it came down to a shoot out tiebreak as it has against these opponents for the last two years! Lucas partnered Rufus and it was nip and tuck the whole way with some great doubles being played by both sides but at 8 all Hethersett just showed a little more composure and won the next two points and with it the match by 4 matches to 3. The U13s game was a little more straightforward with wins in the singles for Josh Bond, Will Jenkins and Sam King. Josh also won his doubles with his partner Arthur Lamb but it was left to the final pairing of Will and Aarush Arkala to secure the match with a dramatic comeback in their doubles. After trailing 2-5 they then won 4 games on the run to secure a thrilling victory. Final score a 5-1 win for Norwich School.
By Eleanor Lewis May 21, 2025
Wednesday 21 May quite literally began with a bang! Upper 2 took part in the eagerly awaited Catapult Day, a hands-on exploration that linked directly to the engineering and design elements of our curriculum—with plenty of opportunities to apply mathematical skills along the way. The day began with students measuring the size and mass of a variety of projectiles—from the humble golf ball to the impressively weighty shot put—developing their understanding of data collection, force, and motion. Then came the real excitement: launching those projectiles! Starting by hand, pupils then progressed to an impressive arsenal of historical siege machines, including the Mangonel, Perrier, and Trebuchet. They also had the chance to try their hand at a composite bow and a crossbow, adding a dash of medieval flair to their practical investigations. The day concluded with a suitably dramatic finale, as the younger pupils joined just in time to watch Jacob ignite the cannon—because, let’s face it, nothing quite wraps up a school day like a controlled explosion and the smell of gunpowder in the air! Ali: 'Very fun and I learnt a lot. My highlight was when me and my team pulled the rope down on the perrier to launch the tennis ball!' Tallulah, Darcy, Olivia: 'It was very exciting because we learnt stuff we had never learnt before and we got to try things we've never experienced before! Just don't ask Mr Love about breaking the perrier...!' Oscar: ‘It was very fun and you got to have a go on cross bows, and a bow and arrow.’ Lucas: ‘It was really fun, we got into groups and fired catapults’ Muhammad Ameen: ‘I really liked the canon because when your put fire in it, it went boom.’
By Eleanor Lewis May 21, 2025
The Trinity term began with 10 J15 and J16 rowers representing the Eastern region at the Junior Inter Regional Regatta. All crews reached the A Finals, with J. Howard and J. Hawkes winning a Silver medal in the J16 Pairs. Sunday 4 May saw the Senior Boys and Girls crews raced at Wallingford Regatta in some tricky cross winds. One of the Girls Coxed Fours was less than 1 second off a place in the Repechage. A valuable day of racing to the start of the Regatta season. The following weekend the Senior Boys and J15 Boys and Girls crews raced at Nottingham City. The four Senior boys that had raced a Quad the previous weekend, switched to a Coxed Four and had a great race against Emmanuel College, leading until the last 250m. The J15 crews were all racing as Development Crews (open to all ages), but again had some good racing beating from Club and Cambridge College crews. The First Eight put a tough morning race behind them to win the Open Eights event in the afternoon.  Daniel White and Nicholas Conway attended the GB U19 Spring Trial Regatta at the start of term. A 17th place was achieved by Daniel and a phenomonal 2nd place for Nicholas. This result gained Nicholas selection to race for GB U19 at Munich International Regatta. Some exciting racing saw Nicholas win Silver in the Coxlesss Four and Gold in the Eights. This week sees all year groups racing at the National Schools Regatta in Nottingham. The J14s Boys and Girls and J15 Boys race on Friday and the Seniors and J15 Girls race on Saturday, with the Boys 1st Eight racing again on Sunday. We wish them all a successful regatta.
By Eleanor Lewis May 21, 2025
The school was buzzing with excitement as students came together for a lively Informal Dance Celebration! Children from across all year groups took to the stage to showcase their incredible talent, energy, and creativity.  The event featured a vibrant mix of dance styles, with something for everyone to enjoy. From the high-energy beats of Hip Hop to the grace and poise of Ballet, and the spirited routines of Cheerleading, each performance lit up the room and had the audience clapping along. It was a joyful celebration of movement, music, and student spirit — a chance for everyone to shine and support one another in a fun, informal setting. A big well done to all the dancers for their hard work and enthusiasm!
By Eleanor Lewis May 21, 2025
The Cricket program has enjoyed an outstanding start to the term, with the fine weather and sunshine providing the perfect backdrop for a series of impressive individual and team performances. Both our U13 and U15 girls’ teams qualified for the Indoor Regional Finals after strong victories in the County rounds, and their hard work during the Winter was rewarded. Our 1st XI girls have begun their season in remarkable fashion, progressing to the third round of the School Magazine Cup. A standout highlight came in their win over Oakham, where India Fox and Alice Brand shared a phenomenal 215-run opening partnership. We also celebrated a historic milestone as Bella Borges became the first girl to score a century for the school. On the boys’ side, the 1st XI remain unbeaten this term and have advanced to the third round of the National Cup, where they will face Oundle. The U15A boys are now County Cup champions, having already recorded impressive victories against Warwick School and Stamford in the National Cup. Across all teams, we’ve seen several hat-tricks and other exceptional individual displays that reflect the depth of talent developing across the program.  We look forward to building on this early momentum as the term progresses.
By Eleanor Lewis May 20, 2025
Our talented drama club pupils recently took the stage to perform a creative adaptation of Grimm’s Fairy Tales, captivating the audience with their storytelling skills and dramatic flair. The performance featured a mix of well-known and lesser-known tales, brought to life with imaginative costumes, expressive acting, and a touch of humour. From the dark twists of classic stories to unexpected surprises, pupils kept everyone engaged from start to finish. It was a fantastic showcase of teamwork, talent, and theatrical magic — a performance to be proud of!
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