Korea vets make ballot

Defence officials have changed their minds about excluding Korean War veterans from a ballot of old soldiers going to Gallipoli for the 90th commemoration of the Anzac landings in 1915.

Veterans Affairs New Zealand has announced the ballot to pick 32 old soldiers to travel to Turkey in an air force boeing 757, but said Korean veterans would not be eligible because they had already had two sponsored trips in recent years.

However, it changed its mind when it was pointed out that World War II veterans had also had two Government-sponsored trips recently (Cassino and El Alamein) but were not excluded from the Gallipoli ballot.

Those winning the ballot will accompany 10 high school students selected through a school essay competition for year 12 and year 13 students .

Veterans from World War II (including J Force), Malaya, Borneo, Indonesia and Vietnam, and women who served with the armed forces and the Royal New Zealand Nursing Corps can also apply for the ballot.

The deadline for applications is March 11.

- NZPA