Thousands of people from around the South attended dawn services to commemorate Anzac Day today.
Queenstown
A huge crowd turned out at Queenstown's waterfront this morning to attend the resort's dawn service.
As light rain fell and dawn broke, centenarian Ray Dunn, of Kaitaia, a wing commander with the Royal Australian Air Force during World War 2, made his way to the Memorial Gates at Marine Parade to lay his poppy.
Speaking at this morning’s service, Commander James Harper, of the Australian High Commission, said conflict had played a key role in building New Zealand’s national identity for more than 100 years and ‘‘strong and dynamic national narratives’’ had been created to illustrate the history underpinning the Anzacs and the ‘‘Anzac legend’’.
‘‘But what rarely seems to be discussed are the roles women have had, and continue to have, in war and conflict,’’ he said.
‘‘These are the stories that perhaps have been downplayed, ignored, or made invisible to history.
‘‘In many ways women have had an uneasy relationship with the Anzac tradition, with women’s contributions marginalised as watching and waiting.
‘‘Passive supporters of the tradition, rather than as active participants pushing the boundaries of history at every opportunity.’’
Mr Harper said women were seen to have held traditional roles deemed ‘‘acceptable to society’’, like war fund workers, school teachers, and nurses.
And alongside ‘‘demure images’’ of women toiling in factories or waiting for their husbands and sons to return from war, were also the images of women at war, he said.
‘‘The one who drove an ambulance amid the falling bombs.
‘‘The one who kept an ear and eye out for the enemy plane and those who ascended the military ranks based on their skills, competence and professionally.
‘‘Yet, and sadly, we tend to forget about those women who made the ultimate sacrifice.’’
Mr Harper paid tribute to the nine New Zealand nurses among the 184 killed after Her Majesty’s transport ship, SS Marquette, was torpedoed on October 23, 1915, including Catherine Fox, flung into the sea when the lifeboat she was in was hit by another, and Mary Gorman who, knowing her friend could not swim, jumped into the water to save her.
‘‘They were not seen again.’’
Among the other women in NZ’s war history Mr Harper honoured today was Lance Corporal Jacinda Baker (26), of North Canterbury, who died alongside Corporal Luke Tamatea (31) and Private Richard Harris (21) when the Humvee they were travelling in was hit by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan in August, 2012.
She was the first NZ woman killed in action since Vietnam.
‘‘Time dims the memory of ordinary events, but not great events in a nation’s history.
‘‘Great events, whether in peace or war, live in our memories, regardless of time.
‘‘They are deemed great not necessarily for what they achieved, nor for whether they were victories or [failures], rather, great events are distinguished by the quality of the human endeavour they called upon.
‘‘By the examples they create for ordinary men and women and by the legends they inspire.
‘‘So it is with Anzac day.’’
A march will be held through the Queenstown CBD from 9.30am this morning, ending at the Queenstown Memorial Centre for the official service.
Although the rain managed to hold off for the dawn service, the parade looks like it won't be so lucky.
In Arrowtown, the service will start at 10.30am at the Athenaeum Hall before a march to the cenotaph to lay wreaths and poppies.
Balclutha
Several hundred people came together to commemorate the contributions of the district's Anzacs in Balclutha at dawn today.
Perhaps reflecting last year's inability to gather for the annual parade and service, due to the Covid-19 lockdown, it was a larger than usual crowd that followed the Balclutha Pipe Band from the town's War Memorial Hall to its cenotaph on Renfrew St.
Led by Pastor Alex McLaughlin, the service followed a traditional pattern, including the Reveille played by bugler Warrick Thompson of the Balclutha Brass Band, and speeches from South Otago's head boy and girl, Corporal Sean Jones of the Clutha RSA, and Clutha Mayor Bryan Cadogan.
Mr Cadogan said freedom had always come at a price, throughout history.
"Our Anzacs paid that price through their sacrifices, and we remember and give thanks to them today."
Mr McLaughlin said New Zealanders today could draw inspiration from the courage and determination of their forebears during wartime, in facing the challenges brought to the world by the current pandemic.
The service concluded with the placing of wreaths and poppies at the cenotaph, before many of those attending repaired to the Clutha RSA for refreshments.
Wanaka
High winds and a few spots of rain did not deter between 300-400 people attending the Wanaka lakefront Anzac Day dawn service this morning.
As the eastern sky began to lighten a performance by the visiting New Zealand Veterans Brass Band heralded the start of the proceedings.
Anzac Day service organiser Cdr Lyal Cocks RNZN said having the band added that extra touch.
Made up of retired NZ Defence Force musicians from across the country, the band last appeared in the region for Anzac Day 2019.
The service was conducted by New Zealand Army reservist Major Ian Piercy, who last year spent Anzac Day in uniform on the balcony of his Wanaka home due to the Covid lockdown.
Major Piercy has served overseas in the regular forces and the reserves and said seeing the huge crowd supporting his and fellow service people made it worthwhile and he would "do it again in a heartbeat".
A 9.30am service in the Lake Wānaka Centre will be followed by a wreath laying ceremony at the memorial on Chalmers Street at 11.00am.
A dawn service was also held at the Anzac Peninsula on Lake Hāwea Dam.
Oamaru
About 600 people gathered at Oamaru's Great War Memorial today to pay their respects to the service men and women who served in the First World War.
Although there were not as many people in attendance as 2019's service, Waitaki District Councillor Jim Hopkins said when 6.30am came along he was surprised to see how "choc-a-block" the crowd had become.
One person in the crowd was Oamaru woman Krista Inkster, who was happy to bring her 16 month-old daughter Cianna Brenssell to the service for the first time.
Last year's service was cancelled because of Covid-19 restrictions, but that did not stop Mrs Inkster’s from standing at the end of her driveway in honour of Anzac Day.
This year she wanted her daughter to be a part of the remembrance service, especially to pay respect to her grandfather and grandmother who both served in the army.
‘‘Showing respect is the least we can do,’’ she said
Invercargill
Despite heavy rain, hundreds of people turned up to the Invercargill Anzac Day Dawn Service.
People lined the streets surrounding the Invercargill Cenotaph and huddled together under umbrellas to hear the service and watch the wreaths be laid.
Among the attendees were David and Molly Muir.
Mrs Muir said they attended every year.
"David's father was in the war."
Gore
Flag bearers lead the Anzac day dawn parade down Mersey St to the Gore cenotaph.
More than 500 people took part in the service.
Central Otago
Central Otago celebrated Anzac Day with dawn services at the Clyde Lookout, and the Ranfurly War Memorial.
Other services were planned across the district at Omakau, Millers Flat, Roxburgh, Cromwell, Bannockburn and Lowburn.
A wreath laying service at the Clyde Cenotaph began with a bang as a refurbished 1940s British-built 25-pounder gun shot blanks that echoed in the hills above Clyde Dam.
- Tracey Roxburgh, Richard Davison, Kerrie Waterworth, Ruby Heyward, Laura Smith & Sandy Eggleston
