A small gathering at Kaitaia's cenotaph stood in silence, heads bowed, at 11am on Sunday. And then the town's fire siren broke the silence.
That was the signal for all sorts of noise, replicating, to a small degree perhaps, the celebrations that erupted when the armistice that ended World War I took effect at 11am on November 11, 1918.
A number of revving motorcycles made the biggest contribution in Kaitaia, although RSA president Angel Erstich did her bit too with a party blower.
Chaplain Graeme Baucke led the short service, praying that the sacrifices made by so many would not be in vain, and would not be needed in the future.