World War II pilot Lew Day remembers the camaraderie and opportunity of his service, sentiments he has shared with his 10-year-old great-grandson, Aaron Keys. Photo / Brett Phibbs
When World War II pilot Lew Day listens to the Last Post during dawn Anzac Day services, there aren't any tears in his eyes.
While the 83-year-old Papakura retiree always reflects on those who fell in battle and others who died later, his memories of serving in the
war are mostly of "camaraderie and opportunity".
Mr Day's sentiments have filtered down to his 10-year-old great-grandson Aaron Keys, who wasn't attending a service today but understands the reason behind the day off school.
"It's about all those people who gave their lives for us to be here ... about people going to war and fighting for us," Aaron said.
He was shown Mr Day's war medals years ago and says he could not imagine what being in a war must be like.
Aaron has seen war movies with fighting soldiers, but Mr Day tells him his memories of serving his country are not reflected in the horrors often depicted in films.
Anzac Day was a trip down memory lane, Mr Day said.
His eyes light up as he recalls his first wartime duty, piloting Sunderland flying boats in Northern Ireland in 1944 after three years' training with the Royal New Zealand Air Force.
He went on to serve in Burma.
Despite finding bullet holes in the aircraft he flew and realising he had been shot at, Mr Day's recollections were not of fear.
"You're talking about an 18, 19, 20-year-old. This was great fun," he smiles. "It was a wonderful experience. Fantastic.
"As a youngster at school I was very interested in flying and I wanted to fly ... the war gave me an opportunity. It gave me a career."
After World War II, Mr Day went on to serve in the Korean and Malay wars. In civilian life, he had a career in instruction and training and worked for the Auckland Rescue Trust. Mr Day said that for him Anzac Day was about "the association and camaraderie of the people you served with.
"You remember the people that are no longer with us that's for sure, and a number of them who are ex-squadron who are no longer with us.
"You remember the times that we had together [but] there are no tears, it's not like that."
