DUNEDIN
In Dunedin, as dawn broke, throngs stood shoulder to shoulder, filling Queens Gardens with what organisers called one of the largest turnouts of the past decade.
At the Mosgiel cenotaph about 400 people gathered to pay their respects to the fallen, lining Church St for the parade from the Returned and Services Association (RSA) clubrooms to the cenotaph at Anzac Park.
The parade was led by a band and followed by a two-gun salute fired from a 25-pounder field gun.
Taieri MP Ingrid Leary spoke of her great uncle Lance Corporal Edwin Bernard Leary, who died just three weeks into his tour of duty at Gallipoli, in 1915.Now her son was a private in the army, stationed at Burnham Military Camp, and her pride was only matched by her fear of losing him in a war not of his making.
The world was sitting on the precipice of totalitarianism, and it was up to everyone to stand up to aggression or those who disregarded the value of human life.
"We are treading a very fine line globally," Ms Leary said.
In St Kilda, about 150 people gathered outside the Montecillo Veterans Home and Hospital.Captain (retired) John Broughton CNZM ED welcomed the assembled on behalf of Ngāi Tahu and praised the bravery of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in standing up to foreign aggression.
"We will never forget the brave who lie across the seas," Prof Broughton said.
Brighton resident Colin Weatherall said the community experienced its biggest crowd in years as about 250 people attended a parade, followed by a service at Brighton Hall.
Green Park Cemetery, in Waldronville, was also well attended and about 300 people joined the service, he said.
Denis Aiken took the Outram service, which attracted about 300 people.
Outram resident Neil Gamble gave the address and members of the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) marched with members of Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) from the area.
Along with school pupils, a total of about 60 people took part in the march, Mr Aiken said.
Barbara Anderson, of the West Harbour community board, said about 300 people attended the Port Chalmers service.
The event was so well attended that some people had to stand in the road, she said.
Waikouaiti Coast community board member Andy Barratt said there were about 100 people at the Waikouaiti service.
The event had underlined the importance of the town’s RSA as a meeting place for locals, Mr Barratt said.
About 150 people could be seen attending the Otago University Service, held near the union lawn, where a two-gun salute was fired about 1.30pm.
Strath Taieri community board member Jock Frew said about 60 people, young and old, gathered at the war memorial in Middlemarch.
Waipuna Bay resident Vicki Wilson said about 40 people attended a dawn service in Aramoana, organised by local resident Ray Pointon who is an Australian returned serviceman.
Both a New Zealand and an Australian flag were flown in the ceremony, she said.
CENTRAL OTAGO
From preschoolers to veterans, hundreds paid tribute to all those who served their country at Anzac services across Central Otago.
At Roxburgh, despite the brisk dawn, hundreds stood in silence as Roxburgh Pioneer Brass Band member Alistair Monteath played the Last Post after having delivered the address recalling the impact World War 2 had on his own family.His father and uncle, after whom he was named, went to war believing it to be a great adventure, Mr Monteath said.
While his father came home, his Uncle Alistair did not.
The brothers had convinced their commanders to let them fight together.
As it turned out, his father buried his brother in a shallow grave while under fire and trying to stay alive, Mr Monteath said.
On Anzac Day, Mr Monteath was wearing his uncle’s medals.
In Clyde, about 200 people braved a frosty start for the dawn service at the Sunderland St lookout above Clyde Dam.Three rounds from a field gun rang out across the valley before the service started, when former Vincent Community Board deputy chairman and Clyde resident Russell Garbutt spoke about the sacrifice of the Anzacs, and what it meant for today’s generations.
There was solemn silence as the Last Post was played before the crowd moved off the hill and into the township.
At 8am, the wreath laying service drew a crowd of about 400 people.
Three shots from a 25-pounder field gun reverberated through Alexandra after a street parade of RSA members and community service people.Standing guard at the cenotaph were cadets from the Alexandra 50th squadron Air Training Corp.
Flight Sergeant Ben Baker (16), of Queenstown, said the cadets had been practising weekly for several months.
The cadets had set up a mock cenotaph at their training centre at the Alexandra airport and had been rehearsing their drill movements.
Anzac Day was very important to the cadets, he said.
Alexandra RSA past-president Paul Galloway gave the address and recalled the exploits of Omakau-born, Alexandra-educated Keith Taylor-Cannon, or "Hyphen" as he was know during his service in World War 2.
The Otago pilot was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar.
In 1941, while still studying at the University of Otago, he joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) before going to England and joining the RAF.
Squadron Leader Taylor-Cannon was shot down and died in 1945.
The Anzac spirit spanned generations in Cromwell with primary school pupils through to veterans paying their respects at a mid-morning service.
More than 500 people turned out for the commemorations, potentially the last be held at the cenotaph’s present location.
The redevelopment of the town’s hall will see the memorial soon shifted to a new location.
The hour-long Cromwell service saw renditions of the New Zealand and Australian national anthems, the reading of names of the town’s men lost on the battlefields in World Wars 1 and 2, and the laying of wreaths and poppies.
UPPER CLUTHA
Thousands of Upper Clutha people acknowledged Anzac Day at services around the district.
The biggest crowd was at Lake Hāwea’s 7am dawn service on Anzac Peninsula.It drew 941 people.
Sergeant Lorne Capell, of Lake Hāwea, was master of ceremonies and the guest speaker was Petty Officer Ben Jamieson, who spoke of the struggles faced by those who served in wars.
More than a century had passed since World War 1 but sacrifices made then had not diminished with the passing of time, PO Jamieson said.
Children from Hāwea Flat School had a large role in the ceremony, with year 6 pupil Stella Kearns reading the names of the fallen, while her schoolmates placed crosses.
Year 5 pupil Sam Millar read the poem In Flanders Fields and sisters Elsie (10) and Merritt (8) Graham told stories about the exploits of their great-grandfather during World War 2.
About 150 people went to the Tarras Anzac Service at 10am.It was led by Fr Martin Flannery, of Cromwell, while the guest speaker was retired Forest Range Station farmer Russell Emmerson.
Mr Emmerson read from the small leather-bound diary carried by his grandfather George Bain Henderson during service in France.
Mr Henderson was a young Central Otago rabbiter and musterer when he enlisted to serve in World War 1.
He was part of the New Zealand campaign to liberate Le Quesnoy, France, in November 2018.
In Wānaka, about 800 gathered for a dawn service on the town's lakefront.Both the Australian and New Zealand national anthems were sung before speeches by Navy Commander (retired) Lyal Cocks and Mount Aspiring College pupil Laura Watkins (17).
Commander (retired) Cocks said people had told him they really appreciated and enjoyed the service.
"I think it was a great turnout, and it’s a magnificent morning here."
"I still consider it one of our most important days for New Zealand as we come together, all ages, to acknowledge how fortunate we are living in New Zealand.
"A lot of that’s due to the sacrifices and contributions made by people over the years.
"Going by the speech that Laura made, the young ones do appreciate it and acknowledge what has happened in the past and how it's contributed to their lifestyle now," he said.
The three Upper Clutha services concluded with a flyover by vintage World War 2-era Tiger Moths.
WAKATIPU
Many said this year’s Anzac Day services were some of the Wakatipu’s largest and loveliest.
On a mild but rather windy morning on the lakefront in central Queenstown, about 2000 locals and visitors gathered for the dawn service.After years of quiet in the resort town, the crowd was a pleasant sight, packing the waterfront from the Memorial Gates almost all the way to Ballarat St, and most of Church St.
In Arrowtown, a few hours later, a couple of hundred people paraded from Buckingham St in the middle of town, up the hill to the war memorial where more waited.
Local RSA president Rosemary Chalmers believed it was the largest crowd ever — over 1000 — including the most service personnel, former and current.
She led the service from the steps of the cenotaph, joined by former Queenstown mayor and guest speaker Jim Boult, who spoke of the role and significance of veterans, including his own paternal grandfather.
One man told the ODT it was "the nicest [service] I’d ever been to", and was glad he made the trip from Queenstown following the earlier service.
WAITAKI
Over 1000 people attended the two large services in Oamaru yesterday.
The dawn service at the Great War Memorial, in Thames St, was followed by the main service at the Garden of Memories later in the morning.
There were also smaller services held at the Oamaru Cemetery and Turakina Memorial, at Lookout Point.
A service was held at the Papakaio War Memorial led by Papakaio Community Church pastor Eugen Dupu.
Maheno School hosted a service as well.
Kurow residents paid their respects at a service at the cemetery.
Waimate held a dawn service at the Victoria Park Memorial gates and there was also a second service at the event centre.
To round out the day, there was a parade to the Waimate Second World War memorial clock tower.
In Omarama, a good crowd attended a ceremony at the war memorial.
There were two services in Palmerston: one at the Memorial Gates and the other at DG Memorial Hall.
CLUTHA
Services across Clutha were well attended yesterday, honouring the district’s fallen Anzac heroes.
Balclutha led the way with its traditional dawn parade and ceremony, accompanied by the Balclutha Pipe Band and attended by a crowd of several hundred.Master of ceremonies was retired Lt Col Kevin Baff, who said it was a "sacred ritual" for people to come together to commemorate the fallen.
He and other speakers decried the current conflict in Ukraine.
"In this time of turmoil created by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, we should remember that war is a dirty business, and that peaceful coexistence is always the better option, and what we should always strive for.
"Lest we forget."
Clutha Mayor Bryan Cadogan said the Anzac spirit was a defining character of New Zealanders.
"We will fight when we must, but also show love and compassion when we can," he said.
Mr Cadogan also attended a mid-morning ceremony in Milton, where a crowd of about 150 paid their respects. Services in the main centres were well attended, including Clinton (300), Tapanui (300), Owaka (150) and Lawrence (100).
Ceremonies also took place at Benhar, Dunrobin, Heriot, Kaitangata, Kaka Point, Taieri Mouth, Tuapeka Mouth, Warepa and Beaumont.
SOUTHLAND
The Anzac Day Dawn Service at the Gore Cenotaph drew a crowd of between 700 and 800 people.Gore and Districts Memorial RSA president Neil Bone said the number attending the service had increased since last year.
"I think there’s more young people showing an interest," he said.
For Hokonui St John cadet Holly McIntyre (9), of Waikaka, it was her first Anzac Day service.
"I liked standing right behind the bagpipes ’cause it was nice and loud."
She said it was important to commemorate Anzac Day.
"We think about the soldiers."
Holly was wearing replicas of the World War1 medals her great-grandfather Rubert was awarded.
"I think they’re cool."
Across the southern region, thousands of Southlanders assembled to honour fallen soldiers, veterans, military and navy personnel.
The services held in Southland included Invercargill, Riverton, Bluff, Winton and Te Anau.
The cenotaph in Invercargill was lit up red to commemorate Anzac Day and hundreds of people came to pay their respects.For Malayan veteran Will South it was a special day as it was his 50th and final year to run the ceremony as the parade marshall.
It was important for people to commemorate Anzac Day as it showed respect to people who served in every war, Mr South said.
"It shows the respect for the people who paid supreme sacrifices in the First and Second war, but also those who have fought in other wars since then, so it is for soldiers in all wars."
Bluff RSA president Phil Dickens said despite wind and rain about 300 people assembled at the Bluff cenotaph for the civic service held at 11am.
"I feel quite chuffed with the number of people who came today, it was a big crowd.
"It’s awesome seeing people participate, and awesome seeing young people there too."
Former Riverton RSA president Paddy Lewis said it was "heartening" to see more than 200 people turn up for the dawn service at the war memorial at Palmerston St, in Riverton.
At 10am, a parade led by the Waimatuku Highland Pipeband took people across the bridge to the second memorial before they returned to the Riverton RSA for a remembrance service.
Winton RSA secretary Trevor Cochran said about 350 people turned up at the Anzac Oval for the dawn service in Winton.
During the service children of all ages planted poppies in the public garden which is one way they hoped to make young people feel a part of the day, Mr Cochran said.
"We want the children to be more involved and I think it is important to keep Anzac Day traditions and the history going."
Fiordland RSA president Geoff Trumper said there were two services held in Te Anau.
There was a special ceremony held at 7pm at the Te Anau Club, and a community service was held at 11am at the Anzac Park cenotaph, which attracted about 900 people.
"It’s been quite a big event and it is great to remember the ones who have gone before us and fought for our country and our freedom, so [Anzac Day] must be celebrated and commemorated," he said.
