‘Unprecedented’ numbers attend Dannevirke Dawn Anzac Day Service

Veterans and Army personnel march in the Dawn Parade.

A crisp frost greeted Dawn Anzac Service goers in Dannevirke at 6am who nevertheless turned out in “unprecedented numbers”, according to Major Richard Short, president of the Dannevirke RSA and MC for the event.

Certainly, the Dannevirke Cenotaph was pretty packed as a small group of veterans marched in from out on High Street where two World War II Bren gun carriers were parked to give the site a touch of army reality.

They joined a crowd of over 400 ranging in age from Dannevirke’s last surviving World War II Veteran, Bonnie Bodley, brought to the event in the Lions bus because as a former health shuttle, it had a lift, and 16 Dannevirke High School prefects with principal Di Carter to youngsters with their families and service groups like St Johns Cadets.

After Major Short’s welcome, Reverend Ron Ashford, the Dannevirke and District RSA chaplain, talked about the difference between the vast numbers of servicemen who were killed overseas in conflicts never to return to New Zealand and former NZ serviceman, Kane Te Tai, killed in Ukraine in March fighting the Russians, who was able to be repatriated to his home country.

Dannevirke's oldest veteran Bonnie Bodley with Major Richard Short after the Dawn Parade.

After the hymn, Abide With Me, accompanied by the Dannevirke Brass Band at full strength, the hymn Abide with Me was sung by the crowd with a Viking Choir component of six to boost the crowd.

Harvey Sattrup played the haunting lament Fallen Heroes and Major Short then spoke as guest speaker.

He talked about the Battle of The Somme in France in 1916 and the huge loss of life over nine kilometres of land using the local example of Dannevirke to Oringi and went on to highlight the role of improved technology such as aircraft to tanks in the huge loss of life which occurred.

He predicted ominously even greater potential loss of life in future wars with cyber, space, biological, and artificial intelligence used, should the world let wars happen.

After singing both the Australian and New Zealand National Anthems were sung. The Oati, Ode, Last Post, and Reveille were carried out and the assembled crowd adjourned to the Dannevirke Services and Citizens Club where warm drinks and an ale or two were consumed before a sumptuous breakfast was enjoyed by those who had tickets.