The Clutha District RSA honoured 14 members of the RSA with lifetime memberships earlier this month, the first time since 2006 life memberships have been handed out at Balclutha.
Before granting the life memberships, the Clutha District RSA had a single living life member.
Five had been granted life membership but only Eric Bissett, of Kaitangata, was still alive.
A crowd of 130 friends and family gathered for what was an emotional afternoon, organiser Irene Black said.
Recipient Norman Maze (94) had his son, granddaughter, great-granddaughter and great-great-granddaughter (2) in the crowd to see him receive his life membership.
In April, Mrs Black took on the task of compiling the list and biography of those veterans in the area over the age of 85, some with lapsed membership.
''It should have been done years ago,'' she said.
''We realised that these gentlemen were getting on in years and it was time it was done.''
Mrs Black went through the membership list, but word of mouth helped identify others.
The families of the veterans were invaluable, she said. Many veterans did not volunteer stories of their time in war.
''A lot of them were very reluctant to talk about what they've gone through,'' she said.
''I don't blame them.''
''If those men hadn't gone to war, we wouldn't have the life that we have now. I think it's very important to recognise them.''
Mrs Black said she could remember World War 2 as a 4-year-old.
''We had to `black out' every night at six o'clock, we had to blacken the windows.
''I can remember one night very clearly: at eight o'clock at night an aircraft came over us and we all had to duck for cover because we didn't know what it was. It was the most terrifying thing I've ever gone through, I think.''
She said that these days communities were losing their memories of the war.
''These are the memories that should be brought back.''
For six months, Irene Black, worked with the families of the elderly veterans to compile brief histories of them.
''It's been a big job and I've really, really enjoyed doing it,'' she said.
''I couldn't have done it myself without the families' assistance.''
Those honoured were. - Leslie Reid (93), from Milton, was a pilot in 75 Squadron.
While stationed at Whitley Bay, England, he met a local girl May (now 91), who worked on predictors, spotting and identifying aircraft as they crossed the English Channel. After the war the couple settled in Stirling and in November they will celebrate 70 years of marriage.
Mrs Reid was also given life membership.
Alexander ''Snow'' Robinson (88) served in Japan and owned farms after the war at Waitepeka and Kaitangata.
William Barron (96) served in the Pacific and later represented South Otago in cricket, rugby and bowls.
Scottish-born James Taylor (88) served as a Jungle Squad Sergeant in Malaysia and moved to New Zealand in 1963, to work in the Nelson Court House.
He was registrar of the court in Balclutha until 1972.
Dunedin-born Harry McLevie (89) served in the air force in Japan before working at the Otago Electric Power Board.
Colin Ross (90) served in the navy and has been on the Clutha family farm since 1951.
George Panting (92) was an infantryman in Fiji in 1945.
Ronald Spence (92) enlisted in the army in 1940. His work with the Royal Engineers took him around the world, including to the Normandy D-Day landings. His involvement with the RSA began in 1952.
William Baird (96) served in the Pacific from 1941 and his bowling skills once helped the Clutha District RSA earn the title of the top South Island outdoor bowls team.
Thomas McNab (96) had his Owaka Rugby Club membership from 1937 to 1952 interrupted by five years at war when he served as a Lieutenant in North Africa and Italy from 1941 to 1945.
His board memberships after the war included Farmers Mutual Insurance Group and Otago Federated Farmers.
William Easson (92) played soccer before and after the war.
He was an aircraft gunner in the Pacific from 1941 to 1943 and started up the treatment plant at Rosebank Sawmill in 1964.
Mr Maze flew reconnaissance missions in Burma and over the Indian Ocean with the same crew and finished his tour of duty after 50 operations.
He spent time in Alexandra and Australia before moving to Balclutha in 2000 to be near family.
Clary Walsh was also honoured with a life membership to the RSA.
