Bill O'Callaghan's son Dennis and historian John Head have given a number of presentations to school children on the massacre. In this section of the web site we feature some of the press coverage of school visits, along with some of the letters written by pupils.
John and Dennis Write:
Our presentation to Scarning Voluntary Controlled School on Monday, March 6th, 2013, was a very enlightening experience. We were very moved when, a few days later, we received several letters from the schoolchildren from the various classes which attended. We have included images of some of the original letters we received. However, many of the letters were in pencil which proved difficult to scan.
The following are transcriptions of some of these letters. We have amended minor spelling errors of which there were very few. Please appreciate the ages of these children ranged from seven to nine years.
One part of the presentation was how Bill O’Callaghan and Bert Pooley survived so long sheltering in the pigsty. For this we had a jam jar of puddle water, a raw potato and raw eggs to involve the children ‘hands- on’. This will explain some of the comments in their letters.
All letters are addressed from Scarning V.C. Primary School, Dereham Road, Scarning and are dated either Thursday 7th or Friday 8th March.
Dennis O’Callaghan and John Head
Letter 1
Dear John Head and Dennis O’Callaghan
I am writing to thank you for coming into my school and telling us about Bill and Bert.
I enjoyed it very much and I thought looking at the pictures really good. I liked learning about Bill and Bert because it was really fun and fascinating.
It was really revolting when I saw what Bill and Bert had to eat and drink to stay alive (it looked gross!!!)
I was amazed when I heard the bit about the bit where Bill carried Bert all the way to the pigsty where it was safe.
Bill and Bert must have been very brave and Bill must have been very strong!
It was really cool when I saw you and Dennis at Le Paradis in France.
It was really cool when I saw my class in the newspaper!
My class and I were very lucky to have you and Dennis come in and tell us the truly AMAZING story of Bill and Bert.
Thank you very much.
Yours sincerely Hayden.
Letter 2
Dear Denis O’Callaghan
I am writing to thank you for visiting on Monday. I think the best thing I saw was the books. I also enjoyed the pictures as well. I enjoyed the statue and the story especially when Bill carried Bert.
From Louis.
Letter 3
Dear Dennis O’Callaghan and John Head
I’m writing to thank you for coming to our school on Monday. I enjoyed it a lot and my favourite part was looking at the photos taken in France. I also liked looking at the statue of Bill carrying Bert. I can’t believe the German leader shot ninety seven people. The army cars looked good too.
Thanks for coming to our school.
From George.
Letter 4
I am writing to thank you for visiting our school on Monday.
I want to know more about the army but I want to know more and I liked the pictures and I liked the motorbike because it had a machine gun. I loved the story.
From Aston.
Letter 5
Dear Dennis O’Callaghan and John Head
I am writing to thank you for coming to our school on Monday. I really enjoyed looking at the statue and the photos. My favourite was the photo of the vehicles.
Yours sincerely Toby.
Letter 6
Dear Dennis O’Callaghan and John Head
I am writing to thank you for coming into our school on Monday. I learnt a lot from you coming in. I especially liked it when the class got to come and look at all the objects you brought in. Also the dirty water, potato and egg looked really weird. I liked it when we got to see the statue of Bill carrying Bert.
The people who had to drink the dirty water must feel terrible because it was so dirty. I loved how much courage Bill and Bert used also the friendship they used to get them through the war. Bert got very injured it must hurt a lot. I am so glad the French were there to help out.
From Lilianna.
Letter 7
Dear Dennis O’Callaghan and John Head
I am writing to thank you for visiting our school on Monday. I liked the story. It was interesting. The pictures are really good. I liked to see potatoes, eggs and black water. It was very gross. If I had it I would not drink it or eat it. The books and the statue were interesting. I can’t believe we were in the newspaper.
From Isla.
Letter 8
Dear Dennis and John
I am writing to thank you for visiting our school on Monday. I liked it when you showed us the food and drink they ate and drank and I really liked it when you brought the statue in. I found when you told the story it was very interesting. I learnt a lot about history and about Bill and Bert. Thank you for telling us about history and the past. Thank you so much for doing that for us.
From Leah.
Letter 9
Dear Dennis O’Callaghan and John Head
I am writing to thank you for visiting our school on Monday
I really enjoyed when you read the story about Bill and Bert. I also enjoyed when we got to see the pictures and the books. We all enjoyed every bit when you came to see us.
It was also sunny when you did all the actions when you read the story. We all thought it was kind of you to spare some of your time to come in and share some information with us. I enjoyed seeing the statue of Bill carrying Bert. We would like to thank you once again coming in. It was really amazing when you took all the photographs. Thank you once again for bringing all those books into the classroom. We loved all of it including the raw egg, raw potato and the muddy water. Thank you for coming into our classroom.
From Kiera.
Letter 10
Dear Dennis O’Callaghan and John Head
I am writing to thank you for visiting our school on Monday.
Thank you for showing us the photos and pictures. I liked the guns and the motorbikes. I liked the statue. I found the story very interesting. I found it interesting to know that you still visit the farm.
From Jake.
Letter 11
Dear Dennis O’Callaghan and John Head
I am writing to thank you for visiting our school on Monday.
The best thing I liked was when you showed us the dirty water and the egg and potato also the books. The pictures of the men who were in the war and I liked feeling the mini statue of Bill carrying Bert and Bill were very lucky in staying alive.
From Logan.
Letter 12
Dear Dennis O’Callaghan and John
I am writing to thank you for visiting our school on Monday.
I was very interesting in the things you brought in and the things you showed us.
I liked the bit when we could have a look at the books. The books were interesting too.
I liked the bit when you brought in the eggs and then water and the potatoes.
I liked the statue.
From James.
Letter 13
Dear Dennis O’Callaghan and John Head
I am writing to thank you for visiting our school on Monday.
I enjoyed looking at the statue because it showed Bill carrying Bert, I also enjoyed holding the dirty water because it had grass and sticks in it. The dirty water is important because the people who drunk the dirty water will have upset tummies. The photos were fantastic. The best photo was the motor bikes.
From Alfie.
Letter 14
Dear Dennis O’Callaghan
I am writing to thank you for visiting our school on Monday. I especially enjoyed the statue because it was clever how they made it.
From Joseph.
Letter 15
Dear John Head
I am writing to thank you for visiting our school on Monday. I was very interested in your story and statue and I have no idea how Bill carried Bert.
I liked the bit in the story when Bill and Bert ate raw eggs, old water and potatoes. All of your books were interesting as well. I wish you can visit us again. I think poor Bill and Bert felt sad because they did not have anything to drink except old water.
From Alfie.
Letter 16
Dear Dennis O’Callaghan and John Head
I am writing to thank you for visiting our school on Monday
I was amazed when you showed the dirty water, raw eggs and raw potato. It must have been horrible eat and drinking that. Still I liked the statue, I couldn’t see what it was from a distance but I saw it in the end. My favourite part of the story was when they got home to Paris. It must have been hard carry someone bigger than you.
I hope I’ll see you again
Lucas
Letter 17
Dear Dennis O’Callaghan and John Head
I am writing to thank you for visiting our school on Monday. I liked the pictures and I liked the army vehicles and I liked the motorbike with the machine gun on the motorbike. I liked the story and I liked the army trucks and I liked the books. I liked the statue. The hero was very strong and brave.
From Harvey
Letter 18
Dear Dennis O’Callaghan and John Head
I am writing to thank you for visiting our school on Monday. I liked the bit when you brought the egg and potato and the dirty water. I learnt lots about history and about Bill and Bert past. But I really enjoyed it. Thank you very much for coming in.
From Starr
John and Dennis Write:
Our presentation to Scarning Voluntary Controlled School on Monday, March 6th, 2013, was a very enlightening experience. We were very moved when, a few days later, we received several letters from the schoolchildren from the various classes which attended. We have included images of some of the original letters we received. However, many of the letters were in pencil which proved difficult to scan.
The following are transcriptions of some of these letters. We have amended minor spelling errors of which there were very few. Please appreciate the ages of these children ranged from seven to nine years.
One part of the presentation was how Bill O’Callaghan and Bert Pooley survived so long sheltering in the pigsty. For this we had a jam jar of puddle water, a raw potato and raw eggs to involve the children ‘hands- on’. This will explain some of the comments in their letters.
All letters are addressed from Scarning V.C. Primary School, Dereham Road, Scarning and are dated either Thursday 7th or Friday 8th March.
Dennis O’Callaghan and John Head
Letter 1
Dear John Head and Dennis O’Callaghan
I am writing to thank you for coming into my school and telling us about Bill and Bert.
I enjoyed it very much and I thought looking at the pictures really good. I liked learning about Bill and Bert because it was really fun and fascinating.
It was really revolting when I saw what Bill and Bert had to eat and drink to stay alive (it looked gross!!!)
I was amazed when I heard the bit about the bit where Bill carried Bert all the way to the pigsty where it was safe.
Bill and Bert must have been very brave and Bill must have been very strong!
It was really cool when I saw you and Dennis at Le Paradis in France.
It was really cool when I saw my class in the newspaper!
My class and I were very lucky to have you and Dennis come in and tell us the truly AMAZING story of Bill and Bert.
Thank you very much.
Yours sincerely Hayden.
Letter 2
Dear Denis O’Callaghan
I am writing to thank you for visiting on Monday. I think the best thing I saw was the books. I also enjoyed the pictures as well. I enjoyed the statue and the story especially when Bill carried Bert.
From Louis.
Letter 3
Dear Dennis O’Callaghan and John Head
I’m writing to thank you for coming to our school on Monday. I enjoyed it a lot and my favourite part was looking at the photos taken in France. I also liked looking at the statue of Bill carrying Bert. I can’t believe the German leader shot ninety seven people. The army cars looked good too.
Thanks for coming to our school.
From George.
Letter 4
I am writing to thank you for visiting our school on Monday.
I want to know more about the army but I want to know more and I liked the pictures and I liked the motorbike because it had a machine gun. I loved the story.
From Aston.
Letter 5
Dear Dennis O’Callaghan and John Head
I am writing to thank you for coming to our school on Monday. I really enjoyed looking at the statue and the photos. My favourite was the photo of the vehicles.
Yours sincerely Toby.
Letter 6
Dear Dennis O’Callaghan and John Head
I am writing to thank you for coming into our school on Monday. I learnt a lot from you coming in. I especially liked it when the class got to come and look at all the objects you brought in. Also the dirty water, potato and egg looked really weird. I liked it when we got to see the statue of Bill carrying Bert.
The people who had to drink the dirty water must feel terrible because it was so dirty. I loved how much courage Bill and Bert used also the friendship they used to get them through the war. Bert got very injured it must hurt a lot. I am so glad the French were there to help out.
From Lilianna.
Letter 7
Dear Dennis O’Callaghan and John Head
I am writing to thank you for visiting our school on Monday. I liked the story. It was interesting. The pictures are really good. I liked to see potatoes, eggs and black water. It was very gross. If I had it I would not drink it or eat it. The books and the statue were interesting. I can’t believe we were in the newspaper.
From Isla.
Letter 8
Dear Dennis and John
I am writing to thank you for visiting our school on Monday. I liked it when you showed us the food and drink they ate and drank and I really liked it when you brought the statue in. I found when you told the story it was very interesting. I learnt a lot about history and about Bill and Bert. Thank you for telling us about history and the past. Thank you so much for doing that for us.
From Leah.
Letter 9
Dear Dennis O’Callaghan and John Head
I am writing to thank you for visiting our school on Monday
I really enjoyed when you read the story about Bill and Bert. I also enjoyed when we got to see the pictures and the books. We all enjoyed every bit when you came to see us.
It was also sunny when you did all the actions when you read the story. We all thought it was kind of you to spare some of your time to come in and share some information with us. I enjoyed seeing the statue of Bill carrying Bert. We would like to thank you once again coming in. It was really amazing when you took all the photographs. Thank you once again for bringing all those books into the classroom. We loved all of it including the raw egg, raw potato and the muddy water. Thank you for coming into our classroom.
From Kiera.
Letter 10
Dear Dennis O’Callaghan and John Head
I am writing to thank you for visiting our school on Monday.
Thank you for showing us the photos and pictures. I liked the guns and the motorbikes. I liked the statue. I found the story very interesting. I found it interesting to know that you still visit the farm.
From Jake.
Letter 11
Dear Dennis O’Callaghan and John Head
I am writing to thank you for visiting our school on Monday.
The best thing I liked was when you showed us the dirty water and the egg and potato also the books. The pictures of the men who were in the war and I liked feeling the mini statue of Bill carrying Bert and Bill were very lucky in staying alive.
From Logan.
Letter 12
Dear Dennis O’Callaghan and John
I am writing to thank you for visiting our school on Monday.
I was very interesting in the things you brought in and the things you showed us.
I liked the bit when we could have a look at the books. The books were interesting too.
I liked the bit when you brought in the eggs and then water and the potatoes.
I liked the statue.
From James.
Letter 13
Dear Dennis O’Callaghan and John Head
I am writing to thank you for visiting our school on Monday.
I enjoyed looking at the statue because it showed Bill carrying Bert, I also enjoyed holding the dirty water because it had grass and sticks in it. The dirty water is important because the people who drunk the dirty water will have upset tummies. The photos were fantastic. The best photo was the motor bikes.
From Alfie.
Letter 14
Dear Dennis O’Callaghan
I am writing to thank you for visiting our school on Monday. I especially enjoyed the statue because it was clever how they made it.
From Joseph.
Letter 15
Dear John Head
I am writing to thank you for visiting our school on Monday. I was very interested in your story and statue and I have no idea how Bill carried Bert.
I liked the bit in the story when Bill and Bert ate raw eggs, old water and potatoes. All of your books were interesting as well. I wish you can visit us again. I think poor Bill and Bert felt sad because they did not have anything to drink except old water.
From Alfie.
Letter 16
Dear Dennis O’Callaghan and John Head
I am writing to thank you for visiting our school on Monday
I was amazed when you showed the dirty water, raw eggs and raw potato. It must have been horrible eat and drinking that. Still I liked the statue, I couldn’t see what it was from a distance but I saw it in the end. My favourite part of the story was when they got home to Paris. It must have been hard carry someone bigger than you.
I hope I’ll see you again
Lucas
Letter 17
Dear Dennis O’Callaghan and John Head
I am writing to thank you for visiting our school on Monday. I liked the pictures and I liked the army vehicles and I liked the motorbike with the machine gun on the motorbike. I liked the story and I liked the army trucks and I liked the books. I liked the statue. The hero was very strong and brave.
From Harvey
Letter 18
Dear Dennis O’Callaghan and John Head
I am writing to thank you for visiting our school on Monday. I liked the bit when you brought the egg and potato and the dirty water. I learnt lots about history and about Bill and Bert past. But I really enjoyed it. Thank you very much for coming in.
From Starr