DUNEDIN
The Easter weekend holiday may have affected the numbers of those attending Anzac services in Dunedin this year, but the weather did not.
Cold but clear conditions helped attract an estimated 3000 to Queens Gardens for the annual Dunedin Anzac Day dawn parade yesterday.
Following the parade, hundreds enjoyed a hot drink and Anzac biscuits before viewing the roll of honour at Otago Settlers Museum. The roll commemorates the more than 2500 Dunedin men and women who died in seven wars or other military conflicts last century.
Hundreds went to the Andersons Bay cemetery, where Girl Guides, Brownies and Pippins laid thousands of posies.
The names inscribed on war memorials, from memorial stones to school archways, made a grim read, the Anzac Day ceremony at the Montecillo Veterans Home and Hospital was told yesterday.
But the lives of the men and women killed in conflicts overseas should be celebrated, "today, when we remember our fallen", Lieutenant-colonel Roger McElwain, commanding officer of the 4th Otago Southland Battalion Group, said.
About 100 people, including Mayor Dave Cull, attended the late-morning ceremony.
The Kaikorai Metropolitan Brass Band provided the music and performed the Last Post, and personnel from HMNZS Toroa raised an Anzac Day flag.
About 800 attended the service in Mosgiel, which included a march along Gordon Rd to the war memorial, followed by another to the Mosgiel RSA after the service. About 200 people attended a service in Outram.
At other services in Dunedin yesterday, there were about 350 at Green Park cemetery, 200 at Green Island and 170 at Brighton.
CENTRAL OTAGO
Numbers at Anzac Day services in Central Otago yesterday were considerably higher than in other years.
Drizzly rain fell during the only dawn parade in the district, at Ranfurly, but the sun shone on the remainder of the services, at Patearoa, Millers Flat, Roxburgh, Alexandra, Cromwell, Bannockburn, Omakau and Clyde.
War veterans, RSA members, volunteer firefighters and ambulance staff, police officers, youth groups, school pupils, community groups and local authorities were well-represented at all the services and RSA presidents in the district reported higher-than-usual attendance.
"It's been the best parade ever, both at Alexandra and at Clyde, " Alexandra-Clyde RSA president Kevin Harding said.
More than 800 people gathered in Alexandra and a bigger crowd than usual also attended the Clyde service earlier in the morning.
The keynote speaker at both was Sarah Liley (18), of Alexandra. Miss Liley delivered a speech about the Otago Mounted Rifles, which won her the Otago-Southland regional final of the National Bank RSA Cyril Bassett VC Speech Competition last year.
"She was just magnificent - the star of the show -and everyone was talking about her speech, " Mr Harding said.
Miss Liley is in her first year of study at the University of Auckland.
There was standing room only at the Cromwell service, with the Memorial Hall full, Cromwell and Districts RSA president Gordon Gates said.
"There was an excellent turnout - there must've been up to 700 there."
The Bannockburn service also drew a bigger crowd than usual.
More than 270 people attended the Roxburgh service, with more than 100 at Millers Flat. Guest speaker at Roxburgh was Roxburgh Community Board member Helen Pinder, while board member and Central Otago district councillor John Lane gave the keynote address at Millers Flat.
Timaru historian and author Tom O'Connor was guest speaker at the Omakau service, attended by about 150 people.
In the Maniototo, about 150 turned up for the dawn parade at Ranfurly, while around 250 took part in the family service later in the morning at Patearoa.
EAST OTAGO
East Otago Anzac Day services at both Palmerston and Waikouaiti together attracted almost 400 people. The numbers were up at both services, with many family groups attending.
The Palmerston-Waikouaiti Highland Pipe Band led a procession of almost 200 people from the war memorial gates at the Palmerston Primary School to the DG Murray Hall. Guest speaker Gary Pearson, of Mosgiel, spoke on the strategy behind the invasion of Gallipoli in 1915, which was aimed at shortening World War 1.
East Otago High School head boy Kelyn Witehira spoke at the Palmerston Anzac Day service of his great-grandfathers, who both went to war and represented their country with honour and courage. He explained the symbolism of the Anzac poppy from the poem Please Wear a Poppy about the woman offering poppies to people on the street.
At Waikouaiti, guest speaker Doreen Dunckley played the piano for the final time after 40 years of service at Anzac Day events in the town.
Mrs Dunckley told the service her wartime experiences included service in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps based mostly at the army drill halls in Oamaru and Dunedin.
Her work included shorthand typing and swearing-in new recruits. On one occasion the Bible could not be found for swearing in, so a dictionary was used.
NORTH OTAGO
The Easter holidays, combined with cold, showery conditions, had an effect on attendances at North Otago Anzac Day services yesterday, but Omarama benefitted, with extra people in town boosting numbers.
The Oamaru dawn service at the World War 1 monument was attended by about 300 people, about half the number of last year, North Otago Returned and Services Association president Norman Foley estimated.
The main service was preceded by a parade at the Boer War monument and a march to the World War 1 monument. About 600 people then gathered in the World War 2 Garden of Memories for the service.
Mr Foley was "very happy" with the turnout for the main service - which, because of the weather, was greater than he expected - and particularly with the numbers of young people representing a wide range of organisations.
"They [young people] play a really big part." This year for the first time, the Australian national anthem was played along with New Zealand's at both services, in recognition of the true Anzac spirit and emulating some services in Australia, Mr Foley said.
In the Waitaki Valley, about 90 turned out for the dawn service at the Hakataramea war monument, Upper Waitaki RSA president Michael Blackstock said. That was down on than last year, and there were fewer young people, again because of the weather and Easter and school holidays.
Remembrance ceremonies were also held at Kurow, Otekaieke and Duntroon, culminating in the final ceremony at 11am at Omarama at the new World War 1 and 2 monument.
Last year, between 80 and 90 attended the Omarama service and this year there were about 140, with a lot of people on holiday or passing through the town attending, Mr Blackstock said.
SOUTH AND WEST OTAGO
Anzac services throughout South and West Otago and Gore were well attended, although some services reported smaller crowds than usual due to the holiday break.
The dawn service in Balclutha began with the Balclutha Pipe Band leading a procession of about 100 people from the War Memorial Hall to the service at the Balclutha Cenotaph, which was attended by about 400 people.
The service was led by the Rev Graham Langley, with Pipe Major Alex McLaughlin, of the Balclutha Pipe Band, the guest speaker.
Mr McLaughlin focused on two Kiwi soldiers, Private Richard Henderson and Captain Charles Upham. A British man, John Simpson Kirkpatrick, became an Australian war legend when he rescued around 300 soldiers in 24 days, carrying them on the back of his donkey, Murphy.
When Simpson was killed, Pte Henderson took up his dangerous mission, spending seven months in Gallipoli before moving on to the Western Front, and later the Somme. He survived the war.
Capt Upham, one of New Zealand's most well-known war heroes, received two Victoria Crosses for his bravery and contribution to the war effort.
When he returned to New Zealand, he was modest about his bravery and turned down 10,000 raised by Canterbury residents, asking it be used for an educational scholarship.
The service at the Milton Cenotaph drew 300, with SH1 closed off for an hour. Fr Michael Hishon, of St Mary's parish, spoke of the bravery displayed by Anzac soldiers, and focused on his grandfather's experiences in the Netherlands. Soldiers from 4 Otago Southland Battalion Group fired a three-volley salute towards the end of the ceremony. In Clinton, Clutha Mayor Bryan Cadogan spoke to around 250, thanking servicemen and women for their contributions.
The service at the Lawrence Worship Centre drew a crowd of 200, with guest speaker Lyn Murray focusing on Flanders field and his father's experiences as a prisoner of war.
In Owaka, about 200 attended the service at the Community Centre. Guest speaker Steve Clarke spoke about the Anzac effort at Chunuk Bair, also drawing on his experiences in the air force as well as his visit to Gallipoli as a civilian.
Around 35 people attended a short ceremony at the Benhar Cenotaph.
At the memorial at Lovell's Flat, 50 people gathered to hear guest speaker Alex McLaughlin of the Balclutha Pipe Band.
Bugler Graham Powell from the Corrections Department played there and also at the Fairfax Cemetery and Milton services.
Remembrance services in Gore and around the wider Gore area drew 1500.
WAKATIPU
The Queenstown RSA needed to be "future-proofed", bringing in new members to keep the Anzac spirit alive and reflecting the wider community, the service in the resort was told.
RSA president David Geddes told those assembled in a packed Queenstown Memorial Hall the association had a role to play in the modern era.
"Queenstown is a town full of pubs and bars, but nowhere is there a community centre that promotes a sense of belonging."
The upstairs room in the memorial hall had been repainted, refurbished and named "Gallipoli" to become the RSA's first dedicated base. The room was now open for the benefit of other community groups, he said.
Queenstown Lakes Mayor Vanessa van Uden told the congregation of more than 500 people it was "imperative we remember the men and women of our generation still making sacrifices way beyond our comprehension in their heroism".
The memorial service was the culmination of Queenstown's traditional commemoration of Anzac Day, which began with the gathering beside the Queenstown Memorial Gates, on Marine Pde.
The Queenstown and Southern Lakes Highland Pipe Band led the parade of about 20 RSA veterans and members, alongside active military personnel, Queenstown police officers, firefighters, St John ambulance officers, Salvation Army and youth groups.
Among the active personnel was officer cadet Bill Lu, of Dunedin, who brought his uniform with him on holiday in Queenstown to represent his 4th Otago Southland Regiment.
A large number of people of all ages and nationalities answered the call of the pipes and joined the parade, in solemn tribute and heartfelt pride, as the procession made its way through the closed streets of the resort to the service, in bright sunshine.
In contrast to "a definite dip in enthusiasm" for remembrance days a decade ago, this year's Arrowtown Anzac day service was the biggest in memory for many people.
There was standing room only in the Athenaeum Hall, with just over 400 people inside and at least 300 lining Arrowtown's Main St on the sunny autumn morning.
Led by Arrowtown RSA president John Lindsay and Queenstown acting parish priest Fr Michael Hill, the service attracted a broad spectrum of ages, from babies to Arrowtown's distinguished veterans.
Guest speaker Eric Anderson, a retired judge and also the retired Honorary Colonel of the 4th Otago Southland Infantry Regiment, was pleased to acknowledge the presence of so many young people.
"Some 10 years, 12 years ago, there was a definite dip in enthusiasm of people and the populace in coming to celebrations of what they [soldiers] did for New Zealand, and the remembrance days were starting to lose a bit of force.
"I respect, acknowledge and applaud the young people who have shown their enthusiasm, their commitment and their loyalty to the cause of freedom and of New Zealand."
He said although New Zealand had done its duty, that duty was never finished.
"Democracy needs as much commitment in peace from you and I, as the soldiers gave in war ... the torch is in our hands, and we have done precious little to build on the loyalty and integrity of those who donned the uniform and went out to protect not our standard of living but our way of living."
Despite possible connotations of the word "patriotism", he said it would mean "nothing more and nothing less than a loyalty to our institutions", whether they be families, communities, or elected local authorities or governments.
The service closed with a full recital of the New Zealand national anthem, before the veterans filed out of the hall to join a parade led by the Queenstown and Southern Lakes Highland Pipe Band up the crowd-lined streets towards Memorial Hill.
Followed by a procession numbering hundreds, including Arrowtown volunteer firemen, scouts, girl guides, friends, families and onlookers, the parade climbed to the cenotaph, with a handful of veterans who were unable to make the climb driven up in a four-wheel-drive.
Wreaths were placed on the cenotaph by Mr Lindsay, Queenstown Lakes district councillor Lex Perkins on behalf on the council and citizens, and Daniel Gabada and Finn Duffy on behalf of the Arrowtown Cub Scouts and Scouts organisations.
Martin Wightman, of Queenstown, blew the Last Post and reveille over the town, signalling the end of proceedings.
WANAKA
Wanaka's Anzac Day commemorations followed the traditional format of 9.30am service at the Lake Wanaka Centre followed by a march to the cenotaph above the town, a wreath-laying ceremony and then a Digger's Breakfast for returned servicemen and women.
About 500 people attended the cheerful but reflective occasion, held in sunny conditions.
Dozens of young Wanaka Scouts and St John youth took part in the service led by Anglican minister the Rev Dennis Bartley.
St John Youth member Hannah Gerrard did a bible reading, while Mt Aspiring College pupils Hugh Haworth and Dominic Schwarz took other leadership roles during the service.
The guest speaker was former Dunedin man Commander Shaun Fogarty (MNZM RNZN), who now lives in Wellington.
Comm Fogarty has served in Yugoslavia, East Timor and the Persian Gulf.
He paid tribute to the young men who served at Gallipoli 96 years ago and how successive generations have shown the same qualities of courage and commitment in conflict.
He also paid tribute to the military communities in Australia and New Zealand who have shared the burden of "pain and catastrophe" wrought over the last year by flood, fire, earthquake and mining accidents.
The shared commitment of New Zealand and Australia armed services continued a proud tradition and helped maintain stability and peace throughout the world, Comm Fogarty said.
The cenotaph ceremony concluded with a Tiger Moth flypast by pilot Peter Hendriks.
