Marking Armistice Day, 106 years on

Wreath-laying, a minute’s silence and the bugling of the Last Post were features of the annual Armistice Day ceremony organised by Balclutha Returned and Services Association and led by retired Lieutenant Colonel Kevin Baff, on Monday last week.

"On this day 106 years ago, after four years of bloodshed amid the ravages of war, the guns finally fell silent at 1100 hours," he said.

"But with all the rejoicings there mingled the ache for those who would never come home.

"Too much had happened ... it seems most wanted nothing more than to just get on with their lives.

"We remember [those] who all made the ultimate sacrifice for what was supposedly ‘the war to end all wars’."

In the leadup, the Clutha District RSA Welfare Trust donated $1500 to the New Zealand Remembrance Army for the placement of ceramic poppies on the graves of service people at Balclutha and Kaitangata cemeteries.

Lieut Col Baff and Simon Strombom did "wonderful local voluntary work" for the remembrance army, trustee Pauline Soper said.

"We’re very pleased to fund their project."