The Anzac Day Rotorua Civic Memorial Service was attended by hundreds of people. Photo / Andrew Warner
In a room full of dignitaries, guest speakers, leaders, men, women and children paying their respects to war heroes, it was a speech from a Rotorua Boys’ High School teen that got the room talking. Kelly Makiha reports.
When our men were at war, everyone was behind the “boys overseas” fighting for the greater good.
But today, divisiveness, being correct and proving a point is the new aim of the game.
The Anzac Day civic service at the Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre. Photo / Andrew Warner
That was the strong message delivered by 17-year-old Rotorua Boys’ High School head boy Jared Lasike at today’s Anzac Day Rotorua Civic Memorial Service at the Sir Howard Morrison Centre.
He said in recent memory he struggled to think of a time when NZ came together so strongly.
“Divisiveness seems to be the new aim of the game. Race, political beliefs and religion are all motivators in separating our people. People are more concerned with being correct and proving a point... This is where we can learn more from our ancestors.”
The official memorial service at the Sir Howard Morrison Centre. Photo / Andrew Warner
He said despite coming from all corners of the country, the Anzac soldiers were not divided.
“They stood as brothers to fight for us. They could see the purpose greater than themselves and put aside their petty arbitrary differences. It makes me wonder what could be accomplished if we could do the same?”
He ended his speech by quoting Sir Edmund Hillary: “If we can overcome ourselves then we can climb the loftiest of mountains”.
Western Heights High School head girl Merenia Tapsell gives a moving speech at the Anzac Day memorial service at the Sir Howard Morrison Centre in Rotorua. Photo / Andrew Warner
Merenia Tapsell, the younger sister of Tania Tapsell, gave a moving speech about her great-grandfather Winiata Tapsell’s efforts during the Le Quesnoy battle. He was among the soldiers who built a ladder to climb a great wall into the German-held town to free the locals.
She said he showed by example that no matter what the situation, you could overcome the circumstances.
“You too can find a way up, over and through the challenges in life we are facing. This is how I will continue to keep his memory alive.”
Why is Anzac Day significant?
Anzac stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.
In 1915, Australian and NZ soldiers formed part of the allied expedition that set out to capture the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey to open the Dardanelles to the allied navies. The ultimate objective was to capture Constantinople (now Istanbul), the capital of the Ottoman Empire, an ally of Germany.
The NZ Expeditionary Force left in October 1914, combined with their Australian counterparts to form the Anzacs. Along with some British units, they mounted an amphibious expedition.
The Anzac Day Rotorua Civic Memorial Service at the Sir Howard Morrison Centre was attended by hundreds of people. Photo / Andrew Warner
The Australian and NZ forces landed on Gallipoli on April 25, meeting fierce resistance. The assault ended some eight months later and became known as a saga of errors and horrors.
The infantry were not trained properly to land from the sea, were inadequately supplied with artillery shells, had no grenades, were without engineers or material for the construction of piers, were never fully supplied with other materials and never reinforced quickly enough or in sufficient numbers.
The cost to NZ was 2721 dead and 4725 injured (some of whom subsequently died) – a staggering 88 per cent casualty rate.
NZ and Australia’s reaction was to establish Anzac Day as an annual day of commemoration.
Kelly Makiha is a senior journalist who has reported for the Rotorua Daily Post for more than 25 years, covering mainly police, court, human interest and social issues.
