Palmerston North Armistice Day service moved indoors due to Covid 19

The winner of the 2021 Palmerston North RSA Youth Speech Competition, Leo Mwape, read his winning speech at the Armistice Day service. Photo / Palmerston North City Council

Cruel. That was how Palmerston North Mayor Grant Smith described the death of Private Will Chapman.

Speaking at the city's Armistice Day service on November 11, Smith shared the story of Chapman, a photo of whom is on the Manawatū Heritage website.

Chapman served on the Western Front as a driver in the NZ 1st Field Artillery. Shortly after the armistice, Chapman was hospitalised with the Spanish flu in northern France, where he died from the virus on November 27, 1918.

"Coming through all of WWI yet dying of the pandemic illness was cruel," Smith said.

This year's commemoration of the silencing of the guns was scaled back due to the latest pandemic and moved indoors to the Conference & Function Centre.

Smith thanked the servicemen and women of New Zealand for defending our way of life, for being on call in times of civil emergency, for their work on the Covid frontline at MIQ, and for being such an important part of the Palmerston North community.

Jack Stock, 13, lays a wreath on behalf of the Royal New Zealand Navy. Next to him is Des Sanson while Jim Farley is piper. Photo / Palmerston North City Council

Among the wreath layers was Jack Stock, who laid a wreath on behalf of the Royal New Zealand Navy and the Royal New Zealand Naval Association. The 13-year-old was wearing his father's medals. Matt Stock spent 20 years in the navy and tragically died last year of a pulmonary embolism.

Matt's widow Denice was also at the service. She said Jack, who attends Palmerston North Boys' High School, is an experienced wreath layer. He was a navy baby, being born just before Matt left the navy.

This year's winner of the Palmerston North RSA Youth Speech Competition, Leo Mwape, read his winning speech. Eight students entered the competition with Lily Tavendale second and Matt Feehan third. Leo attends Boys' High while Lily and Matt are at Freyberg High School.

"On November 11, the world breathed a sigh of relief after four years of ruthless war yet still she cried for years afterward," Leo said. "She cried for the tears of the mother greeted only by a breath of cold air when those hatches opened, bringing home only the memory of her fallen son, for the tears of the father for once unable to protect his child."

Leo said Armistice Day is a day of unison and confiding in our country because we all in some way carry the stories of the Great War with us.

"Many of us have family who served for the love of this country for whom we remember in speech and in gathering, kindling the fire at the core of our nation."

The MC for the Palmerston North Armistice Day service was retired Lieutenant Colonel Joe Hollander. Photo / Palmerston North City Council

Competition convener Joe Hollander said the purpose of the competition is to increase awareness of military history among Palmerston North youth and select speakers for Armistice and Anzac services.

In the service address, Group Captain Catherine MacGowan said as we face the challenges of 2021 we need to be grateful for the peace New Zealand has and those who commit themselves to defend that peace.