The Taupō Army Cadets attending an Anzac commemoration.
The Taupō Army Cadets attending an Anzac commemoration.
For the first time in over 10 years, the Taupō Army Cadet Unit will be standing guard on Armistice Day.
The unit is part of the New Zealand Cadet Forces, a volunteer organisation that works in partnership with the New Zealand Defence Force and provides military-style leadership, personal development opportunities and adventure-based training to youth.
On Monday, which will be the 11th day of the 11th month, on the 11th hour, four Taupō cadets, Devin Taylor, Malin Burley, Mason Hamilton and Sarge Moxon, led by warrant officer Jasmin Penberthy, will take part in a ceremony to honour and reflect on the service and sacrifice of New Zealanders who served in wars and peacekeeping operations.
The ceremony will involve a parade, a moment of silence, a prayer, a performance of The Last Post, wreath laying and speeches.
While the commemoration has been held every year, this year will be the first time in several years that the local cadet unit will be standing guard with authentic drill rifles.
The unit has been on quite a journey: They first had their ceremonial rifles stolen a few years ago which put an end to their guard appearance at commemorations, then the number of cadets slowly declined.
When the previous unit commander moved to Australia two years ago, the unit of five cadets was on the brink of closure.
One of the five cadets was Taupō local Clare Ngatai who had joined the group with her daughter Jasmin Penberthy and said she couldn’t let that happen.
“I stepped up and did my training to become an officer. It was very much out of my comfort zone, but I didn’t want to see the unit close,” she said.
“I like tradition and being outdoorsy and seeing the kids’ confidence grow, the skills they develop - it’s just really good for them.”
Ngatai has since become a second-lieutenant and is in her first year as the unit commander.
She said being part of the cadets would give the children leadership skills, but they would also learn bush-craft, navigation, history, fitness, firearms safety and teamwork.
One and a half years later, with interim support from the Rotorua cadets, the Taupō unit has come a long way.
Not only has their membership tripled, with now 16 cadets on the books, but the unit also started participating in national cadet events where they competed against other units from all over the country in different challenges.
Warrant officer Jasmin Penberthy with her mother and second-lieutenant Clare Ngatai who is the unit commander of the Taupo cadets.
“We came last, but that’s okay. We competed against much more experienced teams, some were led by ex-Army officers. We are just building a unit, we are still learning,” Ngatai said.
“And seeing the kids push themselves and work together just made me really proud of them.”
As for Monday’s ceremony, Ngatai said the four cadets chosen to take part in the ceremony were already very excited, but also nervous. They had been practising for the occasion for two weeks.
The commemoration will take place at 11am at the Cenotaph at the Great Lake Centre.
