Thousands attend Whangarei Anzac Day service

Thousands of people attended the Anzac Day dawn service in Whangarei. Photo/Tania Whyte.

School holidays did not deter thousands of students of all ages from marching shoulder-to-shoulder to honour the fallen soldiers at the Anzac Day dawn service in Whangarei.

More than 1000 students in the air force, youth and scout groups were among an estimated 7500 that gathered on a pleasant morning at the Cenotaph at Whangarei's Laurie Hall Park yesterday.

The Anzac Day ceremony began with the falling in of the parade on Rust Ave at 5.40am, before the dawn service and the formal ceremony finished by 6.45am.

It was one of many across Northland to honour fallen soldiers. People flocked to view the names on the Cenotaph and to lay wreaths after the dawn service.

President of the Whangarei RSA, Chris Harold, acknowledged the presence of the younger generation which had steadily increased in the past 10 years.

Mr Harold spoke about the role of New Zealand soldiers in the Battle of Passchendaele fought against the German empire in 1917 and the Battle of Song Be between the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam and Army of the Republic of Vietnam in May 1965.

"These days we don't glorify war. All we ask for is recognition of their sacrifices," he told the crowd.

Geneva Ruri of the Tikipunga High School Services Academy repeated her winning speech she gave at the Whangarei RSA Anzac Day contest before the national anthems of New Zealand and Australia were sung at the end of the ceremony.

The 15-year-old lamented what she called "indifference" shown to the Vietnam veterans in that they were not treated as heroes but were instead asked not to wear their uniforms in public and accused of war crimes.

"Many would receive their service medal through the mail, if at all and ultimately, they would not be formally welcomed home until 1996, 21 years after their return."

"There has been resentment to the indifference shown by our country to the physical and emotional scars caused by the war, but probably more deeply felt is the lack of acknowledgement of their service and sacrifice, compared to their fathers and grandfathers who served," she said.

She made an impassioned plea for everyone, including the government, to treat war veterans fairly and with respect, regardless of the outcome of the war they fought in.

Geneva will be among 17 students from her school to visit sites of New Zealand military significance in Singapore, Vietnam and Malaysia in November.

The guest speaker at the dawn service was Brigadier Andrew Gray of the New Zealand Defence Force who said young men and women at the defence force faced a myriad of challenges including cyber crimes, terrorism, natural disasters and communicable diseases such as typhoid and malaria.

He said despite having families to look after, they were ready for overseas deployments which showed their commitment to the country.

The Whangarei and County Pipe Band played while Mayor Sheryl Mai and Mr Harold laid the wreaths at the cenotaph before members of the armed forces and other groups followed suit.

Whangarei man Lance Watkins brought his three sons, Thomas, 8, Ryan, 6, and Ethan, 5, to their first dawn ceremony so they could learn more about the significance of the occasion.

Mr Watkins' great-great-grandfather fought in World War I and said every child should be taught the history of Anzac Day.