Rotorua remembered the men and women who laid down their lives to protect New Zealand's freedom at an Armistice Day ceremony yesterday.
The commemoration was held at the cenotaph in the Government Gardens and was led by Rotorua RSA president John Treanor with guest speakers including mayor Steve Chadwick, RSA chaplin the Reverend Tom Poata, and MPs Todd McClay and Fletcher Tabuteau.
Ninety-six years ago yesterday, a truce was signed between Great Britain, its allies, and the German Empire to officially end World War I - on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918.
Sadly, the terrible lessons of the first "Great War" were ignored and millions more died little more than 20 years later during World War II.
Like Anzac Day, Armistice Day is a day to remember all of those people who fought and died for their country in the many conflicts New Zealanders have fought in.