New Zealand RSA president and former All Black Wayne (Buck) Shelford was greeted by fine weather when he stepped off the plane on Friday for a three-day visit to Southland.
Mr Shelford was invited to unveil Invercargill’s newest and fifth poppy street — Scully Pl, off McQuarrie St.
And it is something he never tires of.
"Placing a poppy on a street sign might seem a small thing, but it holds great significance. It honours, not only the service and sacrifice of Sergeant Major Scully, but all New Zealanders who have served their country as well," he said.
Remembrance was an important part of supporting today’s serving military personnel.
Mr Shelford, a former physical training inspector in the Royal NZ Navy, also honoured the Scully family and their contribution to the district.
The New Zealand Poppy Places Trust creates places of remembrance to ensure people who never returned from military service are not forgotten.
Other Invercargill locations already bearing the poppy symbol are: Mepal Pl, Lancaster St, Hinton Crt, Checketts Pl and South Invercargill’s Russell Square park.
The project was created to directly relate to people and events from overseas military history.
Scully Pl had been named in memory of Sgt Maj Peter Scully of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade 2nd Battalion, who was awarded the distinguished conduct medal for "conspicuous gallantry and initiative" six weeks prior to his death.
Sgt Maj Scully, a 1910-14 Southland rugby representative, attended Marist School and worked for the New Zealand railways.
He was also a director of the Irish Athletic Association and a member of the Athletic Rugby Club.
Peter was killed in action, along with six other men from Southland, at Le Quesnoy, France on November 4, 1918 — a week before the war ended — while New Zealand troops fought to liberate the town.
The northeastern French township has maintained a strong affinity with New Zealand since.
