PM announces winners of Battle of El Alamein essay competition
Prime Minister Helen Clark tonight announced the winners of the student essay competition on the Second Battle of El
Alamein.
"The four winners are Adam Allington (Onslow College, Wellington) Lara Markstein (Macleans College, Auckland), Anna
Reymer (Sacred Heart Girls College, Hamilton), and Pip Wilson (Otago Girls High School, Dunedin).
"The authors of the these essays will accompany the official New Zealand delegation to Egypt next month for the
commemorations marking the sixtieth anniversary of the Second Battle of El Alamein.
"As with previous essay competitions on the Gallipoli campaign and the Battle of Crete, interest from senior high school
students was again high with around one hundred entries.
“The winners were selected by the Speaker of the House and former history teacher, Jonathan Hunt.
"My congratulations go to all the students who participated in the competition. Judging by the standard and number of
entries to this competition, interest among our young people in a key episode of New Zealand's wartime experience is
very high indeed," Helen Clark said.
The four essay competition winners will accompany the Prime Minister to Egypt for the commemoration and participate in
international and Commonwealth ceremonies. They will be part of a delegation which includes veterans groups, a New
Zealand Defence Force honour guard and concert party.