"The people are really returning and showing the true feeling of Anzac and for the old soldiers.
"It's great to see the young kids wearing their grandfathers or great-uncles medals," Mr Ratapu said.
His thoughts while at the service were on his old battalion mates.
"I was one of the lucky ones to come back."
He said although he doesn't know Greytown's Kingi Matthews very well he wanted to acknowledge him, being also a survivor from the Maori Battalion.
Mr Ratapu returned from Japan to live in Masterton working at "every job you can name.
"I did scrub cutting, fencing shearing and worked at the freezing works."
Although he claims he was never a great singer with the battalion he said many others were and the words of the famous Maori Battalion marching song were spot on.
"For God, For King and For Country, well those words say it all."