Waimate honoured the Anzac spirit 100 years after it was forged at a special Poppy Parade and memorial service yesterday.
Starting at 11am from the corner of Queen and Rugby Sts, the parade was led by three horses and riders representing the Canterbury Mounted Rifles Regiment and included war veterans, members of the RSA and Red Cross, nurses, vintage cars and floats.
The procession was later joined by the Waimate Highland Pipe Band, young people, school pupils and a theatre youth group, as well as preschool children and mothers and babies, for the remainder of the walk south to the memorial gates.
There, a short memorial service was held, led by Chaplain Colin Hay VRD RNZNVR (Rtd).
The memorial service included representatives from schools and kindergartens, who hung their poppies and banners on the gates in remembrance.
The poem In Flanders Fields was read, the Last Post was played and Waimate Mayor Craig Rowley made a short speech.
''Here in the Waimate district, our fallen will never be forgotten,'' Mr Rowley said.
''We can be proud of those who served then, just as we are proud of those who serve today.''
The gates were then opened and those who had gathered went through into Victoria Park to the Field of Remembrance.
People paused and reflected by the 149 white crosses that represented all of the men and women from Waimate who never came home.
Poppy Parade organiser Ross Andrew said he was thrilled with the support, an estimated 300 people turning out to the parade and memorial service yesterday.
It was a big ask for the pupils to come yesterday, during the school holidays, he said.
To see so many young people in attendance ''blew me away'', he said.
