They died for our freedom.
They died for our flag.
But nearly a century later this flag they fought for is itself staring death in the face.
The Government has announced there will be two referendums to decide whether we should replace it. A group of "respected New Zealanders" will sit on a Flag Consideration Panel and seek public submissions on new flag designs and suggestions.
The leading alternative designs will then be put to a referendum late next year to choose a preferred design and a second referendum held in 2016 will be a contest between the preferred new design and the existing flag.
The flag issue is divisive. A Herald-DigiPoll survey showed 52.6 per cent opposed change and 40 per cent supported it.
But people who want change can be divided over what any new flag should look like.
Should it have a blue or black background? Should it have a fern or a long, white cloud? Should it have a kiwi? Do we keep the stars or not? The list goes on.
The current flag has the Union Jack in the upper-left quarter, blue background representing the South Pacific Ocean and four red stars representing the Southern Cross constellation.
Prime Minister John Key makes no secret of wanting change. He believes our flag is a relic from a colonial era that has had its time. He wants a silver fern. He wants a new flag that represents us as a modern, independent nation.
The push for change is persuasive and the argument can be outlined like this: New Zealand is a country with its own strong beliefs, values, sense of past and destiny. We have come of age and are ready for a new flag that symbolises this. We are not subservient to England. It's time to break free from the Union Jack. We need to look forward, not back.
But I don't buy it.
There is nothing wrong with the flag we have. It has served us faithfully since it was adopted in 1902. It represents our history and place in the world. Our past is what makes us what we are today and what we will be in the future. And, as Tauranga RSA president Dick Frew points out, a lot of good men have been buried under it.
Changing the flag will not make us a better country. It will not bring people together any more than the current one. Importantly, it will not improve anyone's life. It most certainly won't save anyone's life.
But the money being spent on this whole process could.
I was stunned when I learned this week that it will cost the country $26 million to find out whether we want this change.
Timing is everything. The release of this cost coincided with a Unicef report concluding that child poverty in New Zealand has not improved - forcing Mr Key against the ropes as he defended spending this money all in the name of democracy.
He has been quoted as saying: "In the end you have to say, what price do you put on democracy where people can genuinely have their say on a matter that is actually important? ... This is a cost essentially of one of the values that New Zealanders would want to test."
Is it really that important?
We already have democracy. And doesn't this country have far better and more important things to be focusing on and spending this money on?
What about surgery waiting lists, improving child poverty, ensuring children don't go to school hungry, fully funding St John, funding surf life savers, life-saving medicines? Again, the list goes on.
Next year, April 25 marks 100 years since the Gallipoli landings and holding the first referendum on this flag change in the same year is in poor taste.
We should keep the flag.
It will honour the fallen and those who survived.
