Anzac Day - Rotorua Civic Memorial Service

The parade on route to the Energy Events Centre this morning Photo/Ben Fraser

Hundreds of people descended on the Rotorua RSA at the end of official Anzac Day services in the city.

It was estimated that almost 4000 people attended the morning's dawn service at Ohinemutu while about 2500 people followed the parade to the Energy Events Centre for the Rotorua Civic Memorial Service which began at 9.30am.

The parade marched from Fenton St, down Queen's Drive, pausing at the Rotorua District Field of Remembrance next to the cenotaph in the Government Gardens to honour the region's World War I dead, before arriving at the Energy Events Centre around 9.30am.

Image 1 of 20: Dawn service at Muruika war cemetery at Ohinemutu Photo/Ben Fraser

The Civic Memorial Service was led by Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick and featured music from Evelyn Falconer, Rotorua Brass and the City of Rotorua Highland Pipe Band.

On the front cover of this year's service programme was a picture of Rotorua-born Arthur Bellingham, one of the city's last Gallipoli veterans who had a street in the city named after him.

Mrs Chadwick's husband, John, read out the Governor General's Anzac Day address before a bible reading, prayer and the singing of the hymn Abide With Me.

Standing in for Reverend Tom Poata, who is in Waikato Hospital waiting for an operation, was Rotorua Hospital Chaplain Bishop Ray Bloomfield.

Rotorua Girls' High School student Montana Mareroa and Rotorua Boys' High School student Rawiri Manly were the guest speakers at the civic ceremony.

Mr Manly said he was grateful for the efforts of the men who went away to Gallipoli to fight for the freedoms he enjoys today.
"I encourage all of you to live for the fallen, for without their sacrifice our lives would be very different."

Rotorua RSA president William McDonald said he was very pleased with the turnout at both ceremonies and the numbers of people who came to the RSA afterward.
"It's always a very humbling occasion and it's wonderful to see so many young people remembering our veterans," he said.