Performance at Bexleyheath Broadway

24th June 2017

Today was the beginning of Armed Forces Weekend in Bexleyheath. Stalls, tents and vehicles had been brought to Bexleyheath Broadway to display the history of the armed forces as well as to support current armed forces in action. At the top of the street was a stage where the St Paulinus pupils would be performing their Wilfred Salmon musical.

St Paulinus pupils waiting to have their picture taken

Information about Joyce Green Airfield and Lieutenant Deighton Simpson an RFC pilot

4 tents at this event were part of the Wiff Salmon project – the first tent contained the replica uniforms from the beginning of the week. People were invited in to learn Wiff’s story whilst trying on the uniforms and posing for photos. Many St Paulinus students came to this tent and posed for photos alongside Wiff.

Another tent consisted of a craft table, where local kids could colour and decorate images from World War 1. Kids could use a variety of methods to add colour to the pictures including pens and pencils, tissue paper and googly eyes.

Animating the funeral scene

Local kids help the animation team

The final two tents included within the Wilfred Salmon project were the stop motion tent. All the figures, buildings and trees created on the first two days by the year 5s and 6s were brought to Bexleyheath Broadway, where the animation of Wiff’s funeral would begin. Local kids could come in and assist with the animation – and all of them will receive a credit for helping to create the film.

Pupils go over their lines with Chris

Before their big performance, the pupils had a final run through of their lines and a mini rehearsal. The performance was split into three acts each lasting 20 minutes. The audience began to gather around the stage as well as many passing pedestrians. The performers put on their costumes before starting the first act at 1:00pm.

Final Musical Rehearsal

23rd June 2017

The St Paulinus pupils entered the final day of rehearsals for the Wilfred Salmon musical. Most kids knew all their lines without the assistance of their scripts and they all knew the songs and dances.

The musical has an original script and the pupils were given as much creative freedom as possible. If someone made a suggestion or brought in a prop, it would be incorporated into the show.

During the afternoon, they showcased to a small crowd what they had been preparing over the last two days.

3D Modelling Session

22nd June 2017

Rob shows the kids the features of the software

After school, the pupils were shown how to use a 3D modelling software. 

A 3D model has been created that displays what the factory (where the Vickers Vimy was built) might have looked like. It was created using a few photos from the period and by doing first hand research into other factories from this time.

The pupils were then allowed to use the software to create models of their own. Some made models of Wiff's gravestone whereas others played around with the software to see what objects they could create.

Preparing the musical

21st June 2017

At the beginning of the day the kids were quizzed on what they’d learnt about Wiff’s life – they remember most things they had been taught which shows that they were fully engaged in his story.

Airman's Song Book, which includes songs from the period that were used in the musical

The children also began to learn the songs that were included in the presentation shown the last two days. Some were authentic songs from the period and some are more modern songs. Some lyrics have been altered to fit in with Wiff’s story.

Pupil's receive their scripts

The kids also started learning their lines, dances and positions for the show.

Stop-motion Animation Workshop

19th & 20th June 2017

Photograph of Wilfred Salmon's funeral, 13th July 1917

Whilst the year 5s learnt Wiff’s story, the year 6s were working on the animation that would be created on Saturday. The children constructed the background of the funeral scene, which meant they had to create buildings, figures and trees to include.

Pupils creating card figure

The figures that were made are in various sizes which creates more depth within the scene. Some of these figures need to be animated, so they were created so that they can be manipulated within the film, to make them look realistic.

St Paulinus Workshop

19th & 20th June 2017

The year 5s and 6s were introduced to Wilfred Salmon’s story. The year 5s learnt about him on the first day and the year 6s on the second. Peter gave a presentation about Wiff’s life.

Throughout the presentation, there were clips and songs to keep the children engaged. These songs will be used in the musical the kids will be performing in Bexleyheath.

There were also replica WW1 uniforms and hats that the children could try on as well as medals and photographs that they could look at.

Wilfred's family tree and school

Wilfred's attestation papers

RFC training

Wilfred's grave and medals

The booklet used for the presentation was, for the majority, based on Wiff’s life – his heritage, his childhood, his life as a jackaroo, joining the army, joining the RFC, his death and his legacy.

Conditions in the Somme

RFC uniforms

Wiff's Sopwith Pup

It also showcased background information on the war, the conditions faced by the soldiers who served in the Somme, the various uniforms that would have been worn by Wiff and the types of planes that Wiff would have flown and faced.

General Smuts enquiry into the failings of the RFC and the RNAS - resulting in the formation of the RAF

The Vickers Vimy

It also highlights that the formation of the RAF and the first plane to successfully cross the Atlantic was largely down to Wiff’s actions.

Wilfred Salmon: an Introduction

Wilfred Salmon was born in Ballarat, Australia on September 2^nd 1894– his grandfather moved there from Notting Hill in London to gain from the gold rush of 1851. He was one of twelve children and was incredibly competitive with his siblings.

Wilfred attended Ballarat College and wasn’t the easiest student to control. His competitive nature meant he was very good at sports. This was where he met his best friend Norman Cathcart, who would be at his side until they joined the Australian army. Wilfred “Wiff”, Norm and Wiff’s brother Jack all trained to become jackaroo’s (the name given to Australian cowboys).

During the war, Wiff, Norm and Jack all enlisted into the 4th Field Artillery and sailed via India and the Suez Canal to reach Egypt. They left Melbourne on the 18th November 1915 and arrived in Egypt on December 15th. Wiff contracted meningitis which delayed his transfer to France, but recovered quickly and they arrived in Marseilles on March 21st 1916. On arrival in France they were sent to the Somme.

Then tragedy struck – a shell exploded near where Wiff, Norm and Jack were stationed. Shrapnel flew everywhere and part of the shell hit Norm in the eye – he was transported to the nearest hospital (which was 30 hours away by train) but he didn’t make it to the hospital. Norman Cathcart died on November 3^rd 1916. This left Wiff distraught and he started to question why he joined the 4th Field Artillery. He left the Australian army and enlisted in the British army – where he joined the Royal Flying Corps. He began his training at Oxford University and finished training at Joyce Green Air Field, under the guidance of ace pilot James McCudden.

In June 1917, the Germans began using a new form of plane (Gotha’s) to attack London. The Gotha’s replaced the Zeppelin’s that were previously used. On June 13^th 1917, the Germans bombed a primary school in Poplar killing 18 children. This outraged the people of London and Wiff (who was unable to do anything about the raid). He vowed that something like this would never happen again.

Wiff gained his wings (which meant he was a fully qualified pilot) on the 4^th July 1917. Three days later he lost his life attempting to prevent 22 German Gotha planes from bombing London. He faced these planes alone despite the odds. The Germans had 66 guns against the single gun Wiff had. A bullet grazed his head and he fell unconscious and lost control of his Sopwith Pup. When he regained consciousness, he tried to regain control of his plane. Sadly, his Sopwith Pup ran out of petrol and he crashed in Slade Green – just a couple of minutes before landing in Joyce Green. On impact, he fractured his skull and died shortly after Many people saw what he had done and he was hailed a hero. Thousands lined the streets at his funeral as his coffin made its way to Watling Street Cemetery.

His crash sparked outrage as to why nobody was defending London – this resulted in the RFC and the RNAS combining to form the RAF. Furthermore, Vickers in Crayford had completed the Vickers Vimy. This plane was designed after the air raids on London, as many citizens wanted revenge on Germany. They wanted to achieve this by bombing Berlin. The war ended before the plane had a chance to bomb Germany – so they used it to fly across the Atlantic making the Vickers Vimy the first plane to achieve this. Without Wilfred Salmon, these events wouldn’t have happened until many years later. Moreover, the Royal family were forced to change their family name to Windsor after these raids because their surname was Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.