They will join prize winners from other schools on a fully funded study tour of Vietnam during April of next year.
Ava’s project uncovered new details about her great-great-great uncle Lance Corporal Wilfred Egbert Bennett, who fought and died in France during World War I.
Consulting her grandparents and other sources, Ava learned that her relative was a sapper born and raised in Delamare, SA whose bravery in leading the nighttime construction a trench under heavy bombardment earned him the Military Medal.
“I didn’t know much about my great-great-great uncle before this project, but I discovered a man who showed great perseverance and bravery,” she said.
“I now fully appreciate the sacrifices that the ANZACs made protecting their country. That goes for everyone who contributed, from nurses to soldiers.
“One of the biggest surprises for me was the different roles people played in the war. When I thought of the war, I thought of soldiers fighting – but he was an engineer.”
Meanwhile, Sage’s project focused on his great-great uncle, Private John Lauriston “Jack” Fuss, who was born in Cummins, SA and served in Papua New Guinea’s harsh jungle conditions during WWII.
While Private Fuss’ wartime letters to his sister protected the national interest and did not disclose his military duties, Sage discovered the resourceful man that his uncle was while off duty.
He made belts from the cellophane lining of cigarette boxes and coloured them with butterflies, and loved it when his family sent him a cake to get him through the harsh, wet days.
“This project made the war more real for me,” Sage said.
“I knew that people had fought, but reading about my great-great uncle’s experiences in Papua New Guinea opened my eyes to how it really was for soldiers.
“We need to keep on remembering what they gave. Their sacrifices deserve respect and by remembering, we can prevent something like this from happening again.”
Through the project, Ava and Sage have found a new love of history and are looking forward to learning more about the Vietnam War.
They have already asked for advice from last year’s winner from the College, Isabella Hudson who also made the journey to Vietnam.
The pair are just the latest Premier’s Anzac Spirit School Prize recipients from Investigator, which has been represented every year since 2020, and which also had two winners in 2017.
