Parade marks southern WW1 commemoration

The City of Dunedin Pipe Band leads the World War 1 commemoration parade up Princes St in Dunedin...
The City of Dunedin Pipe Band leads the World War 1 commemoration parade up Princes St in Dunedin this morning.
A crowd listens to speeches at the Railway Station.
A crowd listens to speeches at the Railway Station.

Hundreds of people turned out for a World War 1 commemoration parade through the central city and a reception at the Dunedin Railway Station this morning.

The events mark 100 years since the first Otago and Southland soldiers were farewelled by the community at the station as they departed by train or horseback for troopships berthed at Port Chalmers and from there on to the World War 1 battlefields.

The parade was led by uniformed members of the 2/4 Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, and included pipe and brass bands, veterans, marchers in period dress and descendants of servicemen and women.

It was met at the station by a 380-strong contingent of Southlanders, who arrived at the station by train from Invercargill and Gore.

The parade was the first major event of Otago and Southland's World War 1 commemorations, which will take place over the next few years. The parade and those gathered at the station were welcomed by a haka from the King's and Queen's High Schools' kapa haka group, and God save the Queen with the Dunedin RSA choir and heard speeches from Dunedin mayor Dave Cull and Invercargill mayor Tim Shadbolt.

This morning's reception is being followed by an Edwardian market and an afternoon of related period entertainment and activities at the railway station and the Toitu Otago Settlers Museum. 

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