Military marks 150 years' service in Otago

Passing the colours are (from left) Honorary Colonel Stuart McLauchlan, outgoing commanding officer Lieutenant-colonel Grant McMillan, incoming commanding officer Lieutenant-colonel Roger McElwain, and battalion second-in-command Major Lance Nicholas. Photo by Craig Baxter.

The Saturday parade was followed by a ceremony, marking the handover to the new commanding officer of the 4th Otago-Southland Battalion Group, Lieutenant-colonel Roger McElwain, in the Octagon, at noon.

Dunedin Mayor Peter Chin addressed a crowd of several hundred members of the public and scores of uniformed members of the armed services.

The high standard of the parade was a credit not only to current members of the battalion group, but all others who had previously undertaken military service in Otago, Mr Chin said.

The Chief of Army, Major-general Rhys Jones, the Army Land Component Commander, Brigadier Dave Gawn, and the Director, Army Reserve, Brigadier Ants Howie, were among senior Defence Force figures attending the ceremony.

Navy and Air Force representatives were also present.

Major Lance Nicholas, second in command of the battalion group, was "very, very pleased" with how the parade and other celebrations had gone.

"I was really, really proud to be part of it," he said.

The New Zealand Army Band also took part in the Saturday celebrations, which included a 1pm church service at First Church, an open day at the Kensington Army Hall, a mayoral reception and ball.

The events ended with a shared breakfast yesterday at the Kensington hall.