Despite overnight showers and gloomy forecasts it was clear that rain would not weary them - the many thousands who turned out for the Anzac Day dawn services across Hawke's Bay.
"We thought the forecast rain would keep a few people away but it clearly has not," Napier RSA executive Ron Rowe said after what is believed to be a record crowd of about 10,000 people attended the Napier service at the Sound Shell.
"This is just tremendous to see - and especially the increasing number of young ones we are seeing year after year."
He said the numbers reflected the devotion the country had to what was "a big day for New Zealand".
Big turn-outs were also reported at the Hastings dawn service staged at the War Memorial and the Lone Pine dawn service in Taradale.