Thousands braved the cold yesterday to pay their respects at the various Anzac Day services across Otago and Southland. Allied Press reporters were out among them.
Wanaka/Hawea
More than 1000 people of all creeds and ages from Lake Hāwea showed what community was about when they stood together for their annual Anzac remembrance dawn service.
Veterans, community stalwarts and school children took the time to remember fallen soldiers at the Lake Hāwea war memorial, and Hāwea Flat School children sang a Hareruia to open.
Local Sergeant Lorne Capell led the 110th anniversary of the Anzac landings and acknowledged all Kiwi personnel who had served.
"We are here to remember and celebrate the lives of service personnel, not just those who passed in Turkey, but in the many battles and conflicts since. We pay tribute to all sacrifices made in the line of duty."
"On this occasion, as we approach the 80th anniversary of the Second World War, we should particularly acknowledge the great sacrifices of the small band of surviving Second World War veterans and departing comrades.
"The passing of time does not diminish what they did."
Lcpl Leighton acknowledged the present conflicts across the globe.
"Today, the system is under acute strain and the world is a more unstable and dangerous place than it has been for decades.
"When we leave here today, we may like to consider what we as individuals can do to continue to uphold the rule of law, freedom and basic human rights across the world.
"Anzac Day has always been, as it should be, a day for reflecting and remembering."
About 1000 people also gathered in Wanaka for its dawn service at the war memorial.
Queenstown
An estimated 2000 people attended the dawn service by the Queenstown Memorial Gates, where Queenstown RSA president Phil Wilson said it was "great to see the crowd grow bigger every year".
Others to speak at the service were Wakatipu High School RSA speech competition winner Lachlan Kidd, MP Todd Stephenson, Australian High Commission representative Petty Officer Anthony Miller and New Zealand Defence Force representative Brigadier Andrew Shaw.
More than 1000 people attended commemorations in Arrowtown later in the morning, mingling with tourists who lined the main street to watch a parade begin at the Athenaeum Hall.
The parade finished at the township’s cenotaph on Soldiers Hill, where the crowd spilled down into the township’s cemetery to hear the service.
Among those to speak were Arrowtown RSA president Rosemary Chalmers, Squadron Leader Gregor McKenzie and Wakatipu High School student Joseph Hurndell.
In Glenorchy, a remembrance service was held at the war memorial beside the community hall, while in Arthur’s Point, bagpiper Graeme Glass continued his tradition of playing The Lament for Edith Cavell on Edith Cavell Bridge.
Central Otago
Fog shrouded the Central Otago landscape as more than 100 people gathered at the Clyde Cenotaph for a wreath-laying service.
Alexandra-Clyde RSA president Kevin Harding opened the ceremony with a reminder that New Zealand — a country of only one million people in 1914 — sent 100,000 men to fight in World War 1, and a fifth did not return.
Cadets guarded the cenotaph as wreaths were placed.
Three shots from a 25-pounder gun echoed throughout the town to open the service.
The hundreds present heard of the importance of the Anzac spirit and the shared history with Australia from guest speaker Major Duncan McEwan of the New Zealand Army.
Maj McEwan also spoke of the United Nations, and how New Zealanders had contributed to the organisation through peacekeeping and disaster relief.
Other ceremonies in Central Otago were well attended, about 200 people turning out for the parade in Ranfurly, more than 100 attending the service in Roxburgh and about 150 people braving the fog at the Lowburn service.
Waitaki/East Otago
About 1000 people attended the dawn service at the Oamaru cenotaph.
Later on, the main parade made its way from the Boer War Memorial to the Garden of Memories.
It was led by the North Otago Highland Pipe Band and featured Waitaki District Mayor Gary Kircher, Waitaki MP Miles Anderson as well as members from emergency services, the three Oamaru secondary schools, Oamaru No 26 ATC Squadron and Scouts.
Waitaki Boys’ High School head student Lachlan Wright gave a moving tribute, noting Anzac Day was more than a date on the calendar — it was "a sacred day", which brought forward the Anzac legacy in "everyday moments".
"We honour not just the soldiers’ sacrifice, but their spirit," he said.
For Andre Hayes, it was a milestone occasion because he played the Last Post and the reveille at the service for the 60th year in a row.
South Otago
Hundreds gathered for the dawn service at the Clutha District War Memorial and Community Centre, Te Pou ō Mata-Au, and at 6.45am, heralded by a flashing police car, the Balclutha Pipe Band led a long parade backed by emergency services and armed forces delegations, school groups, community organisations, families and individuals, to mark Anzac Day at the town’s 102-year-old cenotaph.
At the 10am service, in Kaitangata, Lt-col Baff spoke again, this time reminding the 100 locals gathered there were still New Zealanders on active duty around the world.
Services were also held at Benhar, Clinton, Dunrobin, Heriot, Kaka Point, Lawrence, Milton, Lovells Flat, Owaka, Katea, Tuapeka Mouth, Taieri Mouth, Tapanui and Warepa.
Gore/Mataura
About 600 people, young and old, encircled the cenotaph in Gore, with returned service personnel at its centre.
A small patch of turned earth, with neat rows of white crosses, to the left of the memorial, stood to further represent lives lost in war.
Local Anglican reverend Bruce Cavanagh gave a tribute, remembering those who served New Zealand in conflicts across the globe, and led a prayer before announcing the laying of the wreaths.
Gore RSA president Bradley Bridgman and Gore District Mayor Ben Bell both laid tributes.
They were followed by servicepeople returned from the Malaya, Vietnam, East Timor, Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts.
The tide then flowed into the Gore RSA behind, to warm up, drink hot drinks and converse.
A couple of hours later, in Mataura, where the temperature had dropped to 1°C, about 60 people moved through the mist to the town’s cenotaph.
The parade was led by the Hokonui Celtic Pipe Band before former RSA president Dave Mackenzie and pastor Mike Whale spoke.
Invercargill/Bluff
A frosty morning did not deter 1500 people from attending the Invercargill Anzac Day dawn service.
Military personnel and families surrounded the Invercargill Cenotaph, paying their respects to the fallen.
Locals arrived in groups or as individuals with wreaths and poppies in hand.
The crowd was made up of regular attendees and families new to the event.
Service attendee Adriana Solis Treba said the service was very moving and made her think about what it would be like if one of her children was a soldier.
"I’m from Mexico and this is the first time that we’ve come to the Anzac service as a family," she said.
"Coming here today makes me feel grateful for what the soldiers did."
In Bluff, about 150 people attended a civic service at the cenotaph in Marine Parade.
Among them were Callum Jones and his son Kayson.
"I want my son to know that my koro [grandfather], his ancestor Jack Jones, died during World War 1, for us to live this life today," he said.
"Wearing his medals will remind him of what his great-great-grandfather did."
