An Anzac Day parade through the Government Gardens. Photo / Supplied
An Anzac Day parade through the Government Gardens. Photo / Supplied
Anzac Day is just around the corner and is a time for communities to reflect and remember.
This year there are a number of free commemorations on offer in the lead-up to Anzac Day and its services, giving a special opportunity to learn more about local people who served our country.
Anzac Day, on Tuesday, April 25, marks New Zealand’s first major engagement of World War I, at Gallipoli, Turkey. While it was a terrible defeat, it has gone on to become a legend of sacrifice.
Locals and visitors are invited to attend several free Anzac commemorations in Rotorua to reflect and remember all the men and women who have served their country.
This year’s Anzac commemorations begin with a special event recalling B Company, 28th Māori Battalion, with a focus on the service of Sir Robert “Bom” Gillies, the last surviving member of the Māori Battalion.
Hosted by Rotorua Museum Te Whare Taonga o Te Arawa, the event will be run twice at Rotorua Library, Te Aka Mauri, on Friday, April 21, at noon and 5.30pm.
Attendees will have the opportunity to see the B Company, Māori Battalion film Ake! Ake!, previously shown at Rotorua Museum, and a Te Ao with Moana interview where Moana Maniapoto talks one on one with Koro Bom about his experience during World War II.
Canaan Tuhura, Rotorua Museum events and engagement lead, says the Ake! Ake! short film has been played only once at Waitangi Day since Rotorua Museum closed, so it is important to continue to honour those soldiers and recognise the role they played both locally and internationally.
The last surviving member of the Māori Battalion, Sir Robert Gillies. Photo / Andrew Warner
“The 28th Māori Battalion was involved in some of the fiercest fighting of World War II. Their exploits are legendary, but the price of fame was high: the battalion suffered the highest casualty rate of any within the New Zealand Division. One man in six was killed.
“It is important to remember those who have fought for our country and pass the stories down to new generations.”
Canaan says both screenings tell a unique story of World War II from a local perspective.
“[The] 28th Māori Battalion was divided into four companies along tribal lines and B Company was drawn from Rotorua, Bay of Plenty, Taupō and Thames-Coromandel.
“The Te Ao interview provides insight into the war from the last surviving member of the entire Māori Battalion, Sir Robert Bom Gillies. Taking place inside St Faith’s Church, Ōhinemutu, Koro Bom is the only living person able to share his experience during World War II as part of the Māori Battalion.”
Clark Pirikia, Rotorua Museum iwi engagement lead, says it is continuing to collect whānau contact details for as many B Company members as possible.
“We are scheduling time to sit down with whānau members with whom we do have contact details for, to have a chat about their loved one who fought with B company, and we are also wanting to hear kōrero about those whānau who remained at home. All of this kaupapa will feed into the development of this special exhibition.”
Rotorua Library is also holding a public talk, which will be held on Saturday, April 22.
Nurses after Christmas dinner, 1934, from an album compiled by an unknown - possibly Alice Clara Searell. Photo / Te Aka Mauri Community Archive
Sue Heke, adult learning, programme and promotions co-ordinator, says: “To mark Anzac, we pay tribute to all those who served our country and for this year the Library’s heritage and research team are highlighting the story of a remarkable woman — Alice Clara Searell who was one of the first 50 nurses to enlist in 1915 and serve overseas in WWI.”
On her return to New Zealand, Alice accepted a post at King George V Military Hospital in Rotorua, becoming matron from 1924 to 1934. The Rotorua Library Community Archive was the recipient of one of her photograph albums, reflecting her time spent in Rotorua.
To hear more about Alice Searell, the community is invited to the public talk on April 22 at 10.30am in the Discovery Space of the library. There is also a display in her honour on the second floor and information on the library’s blog at www.rotoruadistrictlibrary.blogspot.com.
Anzac Day services
On Anzac Day, the day begins with Te Arawa Māori Returned Services League dawn service at Ōhinemutu from 5.45am. The service will be conducted by the Rev Tom Poata and includes a short parade past the Muruika Soldiers’ Cemetery (near St Faith’s Church). The dawn service is expected to finish about 6.30am.
Following the dawn service, a shorter Anzac Day parade will depart from Te Arawa War Memorial — next to Rotorua Museum in Government Gardens — at 9.20am, making its way to the Sir Howard Morrison Centre where the Rotorua civic memorial service will begin at 9.30am (approximate length is one hour).
The officiating minister will be the Rev Tom Poata, with Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell introducing this year’s guest speakers: Colonel Karl Cummins, and two youth speaker representatives from Western Heights High School — Foua Tuielu (head boy) and Jago Watson (prefect).
Glen Botting will sound the Last Post on his bugle before the Ode to the Fallen is read by WO11 Pererika Makiha (president of Te Arawa Māori Returned Services League) and Jason Ramsay (president of Rotorua Returned Services Association).
Rotorua's Anzac Day dawn service in 2021. Photo / Shauni James
Wreaths will be placed during the service, and pipers from the City of Rotorua Highland Pipe Band will play. Rotorua local Christian Thursto will perform during the service, accompanied by the Rotorua Municipal Brass Band.
This will be the first time Mayor Tapsell will be introducing speakers on Anzac Day, and also the first time the civic memorial service has returned to the recently reopened Sir Howard Morrison Centre since 2017.
Mayor Tapsell says, “Anzac Day is an opportunity for our community, and our country, to remember those who lost their lives and to honour our returned services who displayed courage while serving our country.”
“I’m pleased locals in Rotorua make the time every year to come together to remember and show our respect for those who made the ultimate sacrifice. They ensured we can live with the rights and freedoms we now enjoy and I look forward to standing alongside our community to honour them.”
