Students at a grammar school fell silent at assemblies held to remember fallen World War One heroes.

More than 1,300 staff, students and other guests were addressed by Chesham Grammar School (CGS) head teacher Annmarie McNaney, whose speech commemorated those who lost their lives in the Great War and other conflicts, and those who serve today in the Armed Forces.

The fallen soldiers were represented at the assemblies by transparent ‘There But Not There’ figures seated among the audience.

The figures were given to the school through an award from the Armed Forces Covenant Trust as part of the Armistice and Armed Forces Communities programme, which makes awards to bring communities together to remember and think about the Armed Forces.

Sarah Rees, who put CGS forward for the award, said: “To have within the student body the silent symbols of soldiers lost is a poignant reminder of individuals who had once, like us, sat in a school hall but never returned from war to experience the freedom we do.”

The assembly was preceded by a parade of Chesham Grammar students, who are members of the local Army and Air Cadet Corps and honoured fallen soldiers by laying a wreath.

The Last Post followed the two-minute silence at 11am, and the student choir and orchestra performed Let There be Peace on Earth and Panis Angelicus, and speakers closed with “We will remember them”.

Head girl Grace Beckett said: “Many soldiers who fought were the same age as Sixth Formers at CGS, and this really brought home the sad loss of life.”

Mrs McNaney added: “It is a tradition at Chesham Grammar School that each year we honour the memory of those who lost their lives.

“We are proud that our school community respects this tradition and carries on the memory, this year enhanced by the presence of the silhouettes amongst the audience reminding our students of those who went to war but who never returned.”