Requisitioned by the New Zealand government and repurposed as a hospital ship, the SS Maheno and its role in World War 1 was honoured in North Otago yesterday.
As Armistice Day centenary commemorations drew thousands across the South, at the small township of Maheno a memorial plaque recognising His Majesty’s Hospital Ship (HMHS) Maheno was unveiled in front of a crowd of nearly 200.
Kakanui’s April Hayes Dickson, originally from Perth, said her grandfather, Private George William Belstead, of Perth, was seriously wounded and spent "three miserable days and nights lying on the beach" at Gallipoli.
"Things were looking pretty crook: there was no shelter, a shortage of drinking water, and the only available blankets were riddled with lice. And then, as our family story goes, there was a muffled rumour that started and was quickly whispered around the wounded, dying, and shell-shocked," she said."But with the bombing and the mist and the noise they thought it was an illusion. No-one could quite believe that it was true.
"It was the SS Maheno, and it had come to save my granddad."
Originally from Oamaru, Commander Kerry Tutty RNZN, of Wellington, said the ship was converted from a 455-passenger ocean liner to a state-of-the-art hospital ship for up to 340 patients. It went on to transport more than 2300 people from Gallipoli, including 331 New Zealanders. During the Somme campaign the ship carried more 15,000 wounded.
In Oamaru, about 250 people paid their respects at the World War 1 memorial in Lower Thames St.In Queenstown, a centenary service packed out St Peter’s Church, where the congregation observed a two-minute silence, broken at 11am by Last Post and the church bell.
In Queenstown Bay, TSS Earnslaw’s horn sounded 11 times at 11am, recreating what its Lake Wakatipu predecessor, SS Ben Lomond, had done 100 years earlier when the signing of the armistice was announced.In Arrowtown, about 200 people attended a wreath-laying ceremony and service at the Soldiers Hill Cenotaph, organised by the township’s Returned and Services’ Association (RSA).
An afternoon community picnic, featuring live music and a performance by Arrowtown School’s kapa haka group, drew crowds to the Library Green.
A remembrance ceremony was held at the Wanaka War Memorial in Chalmers St, while across town at Pembroke Park, 198 hand-made hearts represented the 198 people from Upper Clutha area who served in World War 1.At Lake Hawea, about 300 people took part in a parade from Peter Fraser Park to the Anzac Peninsula Memorial on the lake’s dam.
In Alexandra, almost 2000 people attended a commemoration in Pioneer Park organised by the combined Alexandra-Clyde, Cromwell and Roxburgh-Millers Flat RSAs.
New Zealand Mounted Rifles Charitable Trust members were joined by Central Otago adult and pony club riders for a "100 horse" parade down Tarbert St, around the Alexandra War Memorial and into Pioneer Park.
Smaller services were held in Cromwell, Roxburgh, Omakau, Ranfurly and Oturehua. Commemorative trees were planted in Omakau and Roxburgh, and a new soldiers’ memorial board unveiled in Oturehua.A memorial was also unveiled in Alexandra’s Richards Park on Friday, and 10 commemorative trees were planted.
At the Balclutha War Memorial Hall, a crowd of 200 heard Clutha deputy mayor Stewart Cowie speak of the positive things that had happened since the end of World War 1, including advances in medicine and human rights.
In Milton, at the Milton Bruce RSA, Clutha Mayor Bryan Cadogan spoke of the brutality of war and the effect it had on small towns in New Zealand.
Servicemen and women, veterans, RSA members, and representatives of other service groups marched along the main street to about 250 people assembled at the cenotaph where four wreaths were laid.In Tapanui, more than 180 former pupils celebrating their 150th school anniversary joined more than 500 locals in marking the day with a street festival and parade.
The town’s last surviving World War 2 veteran, anti-tank gunner Bill Roulston (97) joined in as the West Otago Armistice WW100 committee, sought to recreate the roar heard around the country when it was announced the armistice was signed.
In Invercargill, close to 400 people converged on the cenotaph for the city’s commemorations which began with a performance of Piper’s Lament by the Invercargill Pipe Band. A wreath-laying ceremony was followed by bugler Steve Coatsworth playing Last Post. A flock of pigeons was released to symbolise doves of peace.In Bluff, a mix of entertainment, market stalls and children’s activities was combined with an honour wall for soldiers from the area killed during the war.
The Gore Remembrance Day Centenary Service, held at the Gore Cenotaph and attended by 400 people, was live-streamed to the Gore RSA Facebook page. Gore RSA president Jarrod Scott said the RSA planned to use the live-stream tool for future services.
Hamish MacLean, Guy Williams, Pam Jones, John Cosgrove, Ben Waterworth and Ashleigh Martin contributed to this report.
