Lancashire lad Jack Banks landed in Normandy on D-Day, the 6th June 1944, aged just 16 and fought courageously in his battalion of the Durham Light Infantry for six weeks until his untimely death on 20th July. He was one of four Commonwealth soldiers under 17 to have joined up early to do their bit and who ended up making the ultimate sacrifice. Jack is the main character in ’A Tale of Two Jacks’ to be performed by twelve actors aged 14 and 15 at Horsforth School on July 15th and 16th.
Horsforth student Callum who plays Jack explains that “our play lets people know what happened to Jack, an underage soldier with all his life before him, who gave his life in his country, in our country’s service, one summer day 75 years ago. Although apparently well built for his age Jack was still a few weeks off turning seventeen at the time of his death. Hopefully the audience will enjoy getting to know Jack and his mates including French and German men his own age. They might even laugh at what we think Jack got up to.”
Year 9 student Luke added “most of us will visit the Normandy battlefields later this summer. We will be honoured to lay a wreath at Jack’s grave at the Jerusalem cemetery. I’m also looking forward to playing my character, also called Jack Banks but he’s alive now in 2019 and has his own struggles.”
Fellow actor Archie also 14 stated that “we are working hard to honour the memory of Jack and all those who took part in the Normandy campaign which led to the end of the war in Europe, so we’re keen to play to full houses. Please support us.”
Ticket cost:
Monday 15th July – £2 adult, £1 student
(Two showings at 6pm and 7pm, play only)
Tuesday 16th July – £3 adult, £2 student/over 60s, family ticket £7 (2 adults & 2 children)
(7.15pm, speeches, music, poetry + play)
Please contact James Bovington at bovingjd01@horsforthschool.org or at Horsforth School on 0113 226 5454 for ticket orders.
Any profits will go towards funding the extra WW2 plaque on Horsforth Cenotaph and Horsforth School PTA who will be running a raffle on the Tuesday.
Here are our actors at the Horsforth Cenotaph on 5th June with the Royal British Legion to honour the soldiers from D-Day.
