Town turns red to remember

Geoff Hazelden at the first of Kaeo's poppy fields to be installed, outside the town's police station. Photo / Lindy Laird

A small Northland district set on honouring its own who died in World War I plans to paint the town red.

The Whangaroa Armed Services Commemorations group is putting in place a wishlist of how "remembrance" will look in the community in the centenary of the war's start.

As a result, 37 pennants - one for each of the men from Kaeo, Whangaroa and surrounding area who never came home - will be unfurled in a special ceremony at 1.30pm on Sunday in Kaeo's Wesleydale Memorial church and at the local Anzac Day ceremony the following Saturday.

The committee and helpers have placed fields of poppies along State Highway 1 through Kaeo, and on Monday will "dress the town" with the help of local school children.

The footpaths will be bordered with plastic poppies on barbed wire stems, parks will sport poppies in planters made to look like WWI ammo boxes and will be erected outside the local museum pointing to the WWI display within.

Committee chairman Geoff Hazelden said the group has had great support from the local community.

"Some have given money, some have given time and some have given goods. We're going to be like this community was 100 years ago when many men signed up and 37 didn't come home - we're going to give as much as we can."

Not all those soldiers are listed on local war memorials or official lists because some enlisted in other parts of New Zealand.

Committee member Alistair Kay said: "As far as we know the sacrifice of some of these men has never been acknowledged in their home towns.

"We want to remember all those who left here for war and our group mission - remembering the fallen and honouring those who served and their families, both past and present - reflects that."

As well as static displays around town, next week will include a bus tour of urupa, cemeteries and other sites where the WWI fallen's histories lie, a boat trip on Whangaroa Harbour to historic places that tell of life 100 years ago and more, and a picnic on the church's front lawn to bring together older families and newcomers alike to honour the community's past and people.

An ongoing commemorative project will involve making a documentary about the war dead, other veterans and their families and the impact of the war on the small rural area.