Crowds turned out for services and parades in Otago and Southland yesterday to pay tribute to those who had served in New Zealand’s armed services. Otago Daily Times reporters were there.
Dunedin
Multiple services around Dunedin were well attended, despite concerns Covid-19 might keep many away.
In the central city two rounds fired from a 25-pound artillery field gun and a rendition of God Save The Queen launched Dunedin’s main dawn service.
The Anzac address was given by Royal New Zealand Naval Reserve Captain Shaun Fogarty, who spoke on the crisis in Ukraine and the long-running campaign in Afghanistan, which ended "in chaos" last year with the bombing of an airport in Kabul.
Members of the New Zealand Defence Force continued their work extracting people from the Taliban-controlled country, he said.
The Kaikorai Metropolitan Brass band played I Have a Dream, followed by Last Post played by Ralph Miller.
RSA president Bob Barlin said the bugle was, like our native birds, a sound symbolising New Zealand.
He delivered The Ode, and wreaths were laid as the ceremony came to a close.
In Port Chalmers a crowd of just over 100, young and old, gathered to pay their respects and lay wreaths at the War Memorial in Chalmers Pl at 11am.
The bells rang in remembrance at Iona Church before a bugler played Last Post.
It was the first Anzac Day service in Port Chalmers for four years, due to Covid-related cancellations and the aftermath of the Christchurch massacre.
About 20 veterans followed the band out with family members, schoolchildren, including scouts and cubs and members of the emergency services.
East Taieri Church senior pastor Martin Macaulay spoke first and called for the assembled to reject fake news and propaganda, along with violence in all forms.
Taieri MP Ingrid Leary told those gathered committing to peace and inclusion was the best way to honour the sacrifices of past generations.
A one-gun artillery salute was performed.
At Green Island Memorial Gardens about 200 people gathered to hail the memories of those who had served.
The Rev Roly Scott, of Dunedin, said that those who had made the supreme sacrifice had done so in the name of justice, peace and freedom for all.
They would be remembered by people’s efforts to build a different world and live lives that were worthy of their sacrifices.
In Brighton, about 100 people gathered at Green Park Cemetery to mark the day, while army cadets performed a flag ceremony.
A service hosted by the Otago University Students Association at the University of Otago main campus was attended by about 150 people, including many students.
A peace memorial service was held on the Otago Museum Reserve in the afternoon, attracting about 50 people.
No poppy laying service was held at Andersons Bay Cemetery, nor was there a service at Montecillo Veteran’s Home and Hospital this year.
Southland
The cancellation of Invercargill’s Anzac service did not deter the community from honouring those who served and died in past wars.
A private ceremony for members was held at the cenotaph yesterday and the community was asked to stand at their gates to commemorate this important day.
RSA Invercargill chairman Norman Wilson said this year’s event was different.
"It is very small and low-key today.
"We are just going lay a wreath and fire the canon this year."
A projection with Anzac’s poppy illuminated the cenotaph during the nights of this long weekend, he said.
"It is the first time we have done that ... and it was very popular. It was well received by the public in Invercargill."
About 200 members of the Bluff community gathered with Bluff RSA members at the town’s cenotaph to remember those who served and fought for New Zealand during wars.
In Gore, the Hokonui Celtic Pipe band led the parade to the cenotaph for that town’s Anzac Day dawn service.
About 500 people gathered at the cenotaph for the 103rd commemoration.
Ashleigh and Brian Butterfield and family attended the service for the first time together.
Mrs Butterfield said she had attended the service as a child but it was nice to be able to come as a family.
"It was absolutely beautiful," Mrs Butterfield said.
Attending the event was one way to teach their children about the sacrifices their forebears made, they said.
Southland MP Joseph Mooney was guest speaker at the Waikaka Anzac service at the centennial hall.
Other services including those at Mataura, Edendale, Wyndham and Seaward Downs reported very good attendances.
Upper Clutha
Anzac Day dawned on the chilly side in the Upper Clutha, but soon warmed into a golden autumn day as hundreds of people attended three remembrance services.
More than 800 people attended at the Lake Hawea service, while the services held at Wanaka and Tarras drew several hundred attendees.
There was little of the pomp and circumstance usually seen in Wanaka, due to Covid concerns.
There was neither a Wanaka town hall service mid-morning, nor was there a parade up the main street town to lay poppies and wreaths at the foot of the town’s cenotaph at the top of the hill on Chalmers St.
Nor did the usual Tiger Moth fly-past appear, but a team of four Harvards organised by pilot John Lamont made up for that, flying slowly in formation over Wanaka and Tarras at the end of each service.
Schoolchildren led the way at the three events, singing, speaking and attending to other official functions.
Australian and New Zealand national anthems were sung, while pipers and buglers also played their parts.
At each service, speakers reflected on the present challenges faced by people in Ukraine, living and some dying under the attack from Russia.
They also reflected on challenges experienced by service men and women in various conflicts over the past century.
Wakatipu
Queenstown Lakes District Anzac services were well attended yesterday in Queenstown, Arrowtown and Glenorchy.
Queenstown’s service took place at dawn under the Queenstown Memorial Arch, which celebrated its hundredth year this year.
Several hundred turned out to the service, then marched straight to the Queenstown Memorial Centre for wreath laying as there was no Civic Service this year.
It was the last time Queenstown Lakes District Mayor Jim Boult would march near the front of the procession with Mayoress Karen Boult.
"It was quite emotional, actually," Mr Boult said.
In his speech, Mr Boult spoke of the conflict in Ukraine.
"We all need to be aware that no matter how small a part we can play in trying to stop that happening, we need to do that," Mr Boult said.
This year, Arrowtown commemorated Anzac Day at the top of Soldiers Hill with a tightly packed crowd.
The sky was clear and the sun shone down on the Cenotaph as the speakers’ voices travelled out into the Autumn air.
Arrowtown RSA vice-president Howie Barnes said this year the RSA was bringing more awareness to younger veterans.
"We still have veterans that may have left the services who are still in their 20s and it’s remembering the sacrifices they’ve made and continue to make," Mr Barnes said.
Glenorchy resident John Glover said it was particularly special having members of the Aitken family present at Glenorchy’s war memorial.
"In World War2, a Glenorchy member of the family was killed piloting a Lancaster bomber ... members of the family from around parts of the country came back to Glenorchy to re-establish that connection," Mr Glover said.
Each service was well attended by local RSAs, fire brigades, armed forces, police, schools, and local families.
Waitaki
As a new day dawned, Waitaki remembered those who came before.
More than 1000 people lined Thames St for Oamaru’s dawn service led by former Royal New Zealand Air Force flight-lieutenant Kelli Williams.
Waitaki Boys’ High School head boy Ethan Reille shared a powerful story about former Waitaki Boys’ prefect Gus Ongley, who was killed by a German snipers at Baupaume, Northern France, in August 1918.
A large turnout from young and old — and a good representation from the secondary schools — also attended the 10.30am commemoration service, at the Garden of Memories.
In Alma, south of Oamaru, about 200 people attended the early morning service, where Waitaki district councillor Jim Hopkins touched on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
"Peace is a precious thing, but history tells us it can also be lost," he said.
The conflict in Ukraine was a common theme among most ceremonies.
About 250 people attended Maheno’s service, 100 at Palmerston and 60 at Dunback.
Up the Waitaki Valley, about 30 people attended Kurow and Otekaieke’s services, and about 70 attended Duntroon’s. Mayor Gary Kircher attended those services, laid wreaths, and also laid wreaths in Georgetown and Papakaio.
Clutha
The conflict in Ukraine loomed large in Balclutha’s Anzac Day dawn service yesterday morning.
About 400 attended a traditional parade and service as twilight lifted over the town’s cenotaph.
Retired Lt-Col Kevin Baff led the service, during which he and others gave thanks for the sacrifices of Anzac servicemen and women through the ages.
Among those speaking, in cool, breezy conditions, was Clutha Mayor Bryan Cadogan, who said peace was "not a given".
"Right now in Ukraine we can see the bitter reality when diplomacy and detente fail. The treasure of peace should never be taken for granted. Let us thank our lucky stars we’re Kiwis," he said.
South Otago High School head boy Josiah Goodwin (18) also noted the current conflict in Ukraine, expressing gratitude for the largely peaceful times he had been born into.
"Of the 3000 New Zealand soldiers who died at Gallipoli, 17 were past South Otago High School students.
"My knowledge of war is limited, and I’m grateful for this."
Residents in Benhar, Clinton, Dunrobin, Heriot, Kaitangata, Kaka Point, Lawrence, Lovells Flat, Milton, Owaka, Taieri Mouth, Tapanui and Warepa also marked Anzac Day with services or memorial gatherings yesterday.
Central Otago
The commemorations may have been pared back from those pre-pandemic in Central Otago but that did not deter the crowds from coming.
Between 700 and 800 people gathered in both Alexandra and Cromwell as some towns opted to dispense with traditional dawn services in favour of ceremonies later as Anzac Day made a tentative return across the district yesterday.
Alexandra-Clyde Returned Services Association (RSA)’s Paul Galloway said "stunning Central Otago weather" coupled with the two-year absence of services had combined to produce the bumper crowds,
"It’s been a long time between drinks and I think that was reflected in the turnout."
He was also thrilled with the Central Otago response to the annual Poppy Day appeal on Friday.
"The support of the community was very strong this year."
In Cromwell, Catholic Father Martin Flannery closed the service at the cenotaph outside the Cromwell Memorial Hall with a prayer for Ukraine in tacit acknowledgement that conflicts still occur, regardless of the sacrifice made by previous generations.
Earlier, Dennis Ryan of the Cromwell RSA told the crowd the ceremony would be the last at the hall’s grounds before the bulldozers moved in to demolish it.
Built in 1959 and deemed by many as no longer fit for purpose, the $16 million Cromwell Memorial Hall and Events Centre project is set to replace after its demolition.
The service at the hall followed one at the returned services graves at the Cromwell Cemetery.
While services differed from the traditional, not all towns did away with dawn services with large crowds reported at the Ranfurly Cenotaph at 6.30am.
Maniototo commemorations continued at the Kyeburn Cenotaph at 10.30am.
A service at the Omakau Memorial Hall at 10am attracted about 200 people.
In the Teviot Valley services at the Millers Flat Cenotaph at 7.30am and the Roxburgh Cenotaph at 9am were also well attended.
