A strong crowd attended the Hastings dawn service on Anzac Day. Photo / Jack Riddell
A strong crowd attended the Hastings dawn service on Anzac Day. Photo / Jack Riddell
Thousands of people attended Anzac Day services across Hawke’s Bay, honouring those who died and fought for the country – including special tributes for one of the region’s late WWII veterans.
More than 30 Anzac Day services were being held across the rohe on Friday - from Mahia, Nuhaka and Wairoa in the North, to Woodville, Dannevirke, Ormondville, Norsewood and Makotuku in the south, with many attracting large crowds.
During the Hastings dawn service at Civic Square, Dr Jeremy MacLeod reflected on the life of Waimārama-raised Sir Bom Gillies, the last surviving member of the Māori Battalion, who died in November aged 99.
Bom was involved in the Battle of Monte Cassino in Italy in 1944, where hundreds of the 28th battalion were killed.
MacLeod spoke to the crowd of around 1000 about the time he spent with Bom, saying Bom treated him like a “mokopuna and a friend”.
MacLeod wore his great-great-grandfather’s medals and his late grandfather’s Māori Battalion jersey – which he said was “an incredible honour”.
At the end of his speech MacLeod sang “Buonanotte Mi Amore”, an Italian song translating to “Goodnight My Sweetheart”, that was one of the many favourites of the 28th Māori Battalion.
Steve Kendall was among those who attended the dawn service. Photo / Jack Riddell
“Anzac Day will just go on and on, it will get bigger and bigger,” he said.
“More and more people get involved now that the world is not at peace, that’s the bottom line.”
Stuart Knauf wore his medals from his 24 years of service with the Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserves, alongside his father’s medals.
“He served in the Second World War in the Guadalcanal as an army nurse and he was conscientious objector, but he served as a noncombatant,” Knauf said.
“He didn’t take any weapons, but he served in the frontlines.”
Knauf was thinking of the people “a lot younger” than him that went to war and never came home.
“I’ve always been thinking about them and the sacrifices they made for us.”
Stuart Knauf and Ken Haines at the Hastings Dawn Service. Photo / Jack Riddell
Ken Haines, Stortford Lodge Rotary President, laid a wreath on behalf of the club and proudly wore his father’s medals.
“Dad fought from Holland right through to Germany and then demobbed after the end of the war and came to New Zealand,” Haines said.
Master of Ceremonies Charles Ropitini, said his focus was to ensure that everybody had a good personal moment.
He said he expected the Hastings service to grow in numbers year on year.
The Napier dawn service attracted a large crowd. Photo / Gary Hamilton-Irvine
In Napier, over 1000 people turned out for the dawn service at the Sound Shell.
Royal NZ Air Force warrant officer Darryn Wells spoke to the crowd, reflecting on the sacrifice of servicemen and servicewomen in WWII.
He said as news of the cruelty of Nazi concentration camps reached New Zealand at the end of the war, that “confirmed for New Zealanders that the war that had been forced upon them in 1939 had indeed been a just struggle against evil”.
He encouraged people to continue to honour those who fought in the war.
The Napier dawn service. Photo / Gary Hamilton-Irvine
“When we leave here today, we might like to consider what we individuals and as a country can do to continue to uphold the rule of law, freedom and basic human rights.
“In doing this we can continue to honour in a powerful way the memory of those servicemen and women who came before us and sacrificed so much for our nation and our values.”
Guest speaker Joseph Pedler echoed that sentiment.
“The significance of Anzac Day extends far beyond reflection of the past, it is a reminder to draw strength from the lessons of those who have gone before us,” he said.
“The Anzac spirit - born of hardship and forged in battle - continues to resonate within every Australian and New Zealander.
“It is a spirit of unity, courage and a duty to our countries, it binds us together and inspires us to face challenges both big and small with the same determination and resilience.
Master of Ceremony Wayne Mowat said it was a fantastic turnout.
“People have come, they wanted to sing and it’s just lovely,” he said.
Speakers at the service included Guy Wellwood, who spoke about the trials and successes the Anzac forces have had through the years, and Bruce Robertson spoke of his father the Anzac who was captured and spent several years in a Japanese internment camp before returning to Australia eventually moving to Gisborne with his family.
Logan Potts wearing his great grandfather Sergeant George Palmer's medals from World War II at the Havelock North citizens service for Anzac Day. Photo / Jack Riddell
Logan Potts was there wearing his great-grandfather Sergeant George Palmer’s medals from World War II.
“I’m really proud to wear them,” he said.
Hastings Ambassador Henare O’Keefe read the Ode of Remembrance at the ceremony. The thing that impressed him the most was the number of young people in attendance.
