Patriots Defence Force Motorcycle Club deep south chapter president Phil Herriott said Saturday’s 2022 Ride of Respect was an opportunity for members to commemorate the fallen and raise money for veterans.
About 100 riders joined the ride, which left the Mosgiel RSA about 11am.
The procession visited war memorials in Middlemarch, Dunback, Palmerston and Port Chalmers.
At the final stop they would have a wreath-laying ceremony and play the last post, before returning to Mosgiel, Mr Herriott said.
The ride would likely raise several thousand dollars through participants buying registration fees for the ride, along with raffle tickets, badges and poppies.
Money raised would be given to charities, including the Montecillo veterans’ residence fund and the Returned and Services Association’s (RSA) welfare fund.
While the Patriots group was comprised of both retired and serving members of the armed forces, members of about five different clubs had joined the ride along with some independent riders.
The Patriots group was ‘‘almost like an RSA on wheels’’, Mr Herriott joked.
He himself served in the navy for 21 years. Military service was something of a family tradition, as two of his brothers also served in the navy.
His grandfather and father fought in World War 1 and 2 respectively, Mr Herriott said.
The event is annual, about eight clubs across the country taking part.
Vietnam veteran Jimmy Oliver (74) joked he had joined up with the ride to add a bit of intelligence to the pool of predominantly navy people who were organising it.
He had fought in Vietnam in the 1960s when he was ‘‘young and silly’’, and he was pleased to join the ride, which was a great thing for a good cause.
