Hunter School of the Performing Arts Lone Pine

About

At the conclusion of the school's 2006 Anzac Day service, a Lone Pine (Aleppo Pine - Pinus halepensis) was planted by Katrina McLardy. The Pine was donated by Mr Robert McLardy, Member of the Hunter School of the Performing Arts Parents and Citizens. Speech written and spoken by E. Bone, Student Representative Council, Year 10 Hunter School of the Performing Arts: Every soldier at Gallipoli had stories to tell of the fighting, but two battles stand out because they were so fierce. One was fought at a place the Australians called 'Lone Pine'. The ridge line was given its name because when the Turks were making roofs for their trenches, they chopped down every tree except one. In the nervous moments before the attack, men moved amongst the trenches, looking for friends, brothers and fathers. If they were about to go into battle they were going to be with their mates and loved ones. On hearing the signal to attack, the Anzac's jumped out of their trenches and raced across no mans-land- the land that separated them from the Turks. When they reached the Turkish trenches, they had to fight their way through logs and mud to get underground. When they finally broke through, there were so many soldiers they couldn't even raise their guns to fire! It took two days of the most horrible fighting before Lone Pine was captured by the Anzacs. Australians lost more than 2000 men and the Turks losses were estimated at 7000. Some of the soldiers that fought brought home the pinecones they found on the ridge as souvenirs, those pinecones were then kept by families seeds were planted as a memorial just like today! This Pine will stand here alone just like the one those soldiers saw that day, for children of this school from now for many years to come will remember and appreciate the significance of this Lone Pine. Lest we forget. The pine was planted temporarily in a large pot for further growth. During the Christmas school holidays of 2006/2007 the pine was stolen.

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