Ex-soldier to steel Rimutaka marchers

IN REMEMBRANCE: Former soldier Kieran Te Whare has developed a fitness programme for those doing the Rimutaka Hill re-enactment march. photo/supplied

A former soldier has offered his expertise to help support those completing September's special World War I re-enactment march over the Rimutaka Hill.

Kieran Te Whare, facilities manager at the Genesis Energy Recreation Centre, has prepared a fitness programme for those doing the 21km march on September 27.

Mr Te Whare says he is proud to offer practical help and guidance to those retracing the footsteps of thousands of WWI soldiers who set off for war from the Featherston Military Camp.

"When I heard about the Rimutaka Crossing Memorial Re-enactment March I wanted to be involved in some way," he said.

"I think this WWI commemoration is unique and will be an extremely poignant way to remember all those men and women who trained in Featherston, left for the front and never returned."

Mr Te Whare joined the NZ Army in 1999 and undertook peace-keeping duties in Timor. He also represented the army and the New Zealand Defence Force in rugby and touch rugby.

After re-qualifying as a fitness instructor and returning to live in Masterton, he now runs the Genesis Energy Recreation Centre.

He is targeting beginner walkers and will offer nutritional advice and practical tips to ensure walkers complete the journey safely and maximise the short breaks that will occur between each of the three stages of the march.

"This programme is an 'off-the-couch' programme that takes people who have a low level of fitness to enable them to march 21km over the Rimutaka Hill within a set time frame."

Event organiser Robert "Tweet" Bird said he was thrilled to have Mr Te Whare's support.

"One of the most important things for us is that people are prepared to march the 21km and have a good level of health and fitness so they can complete it safely," said Mr Bird.

"It's important to us, they enjoy themselves whilst remembering their family members who did the same march 100 years ago and this fitness plan will enable them to do this."

Since Mr Bird announced his plans for the re-enactment march, he has received over 250 emails and phone inquiries from descendants of WWI soldiers who trained at the Featherston Military Camp. Many are from people wanting to share their WWI stories or from those registering for the march.

Stage one will begin at 3am at the site of the former Featherston Military Camp and see the group march the 2.9km into Featherston to lay a wreath. They will then march 10.8km up the Rimutaka Hill to the summit where they will have breakfast and unveil a newly created Remembrance Memorial.

They will then march 8.9km down the Wellington side of the hill to finish at Kaitoke.

After the march, participants will be driven to Upper Hutt where they will march through the streets before laying a second wreath at the Upper Hutt Town Hall.

The group will then bus to the Trentham Army Camp where there will be an open day with displays from members of the Defence Forces.

Featherston Military Camp was New Zealand's largest training camp, helping prepare 60,000 men for service in WWI. Groups of 2000 soldiers would march over the Rimutaka Hill to ships bound for the front and of the 60,000 servicemen and women, 17,000 were killed overseas.