Wildlife joins war tribute

Yellow-eyed penguins watched as crew from HMNZS Wellington, with Department of Conservation (DoC) staff and dignitaries, landed at the old coastwatchers base in Ranui Cove.

Nature hadn't been placed on the guest list for an Anzac service in the Auckland Islands on Sunday, but she turned up anyway.

Yellow-eyed penguins watched, then scurried away, as inflatable rubber boats, manned by crew from HMNZS Wellington, landed Department of Conservation (DoC) staff and dignitaries at the old coastwatchers base in Ranui Cove.

The new arrivals joined five volunteer builders and a DoC staff member camped at the site, making about 40 participants for the service.

A seal lion pup planted herself near Wellington crew; a lone tui seemed to introduce DoC's southern iwi liaison man, Dave Taylor, who recited the Lord's Prayer in Maori while tomtits scolded sailors.

Lieutenant Commander Graham McLean, skipper of the Wellington, praised the Sub-Antarctic Coastwatchers' contribution during World War II by acknowledging their commitment to the war effort. But the minute's silence became more like an X Factor performance for bell birds.

Having transported builders to Ranui Base, DoC and the navy were determined to honour New Zealanders who served on "Cape Expedition", a then secret operation which sent 56 men to Auckland and Campbell Islands.

With the restoration work so close to Anzac Day, it seemed appropriate to salute those who'd served year-long postings, not only at Ranui but also at the southern end of the main Auckland Island and on Campbell Island, said DoC expedition leader Sharon Trainor.

DoC invited the last survivor of the 56 Sub-Antarctic coast watchers, Johnny Jones of Te Awamutu, 91, but he was too frail to attend.

Mr Jones was represented at the service by his son, Brian Jones of Tauranga, who read from a poem called Fifty South, written by his then 19-year-old father, who worked as a radio operator.