About 2000 people attended Whanganui's Anzac Day Dawn Service, held outside the Whanganui War Memorial Centre. Photo / Fin Ocheduszko Brown
About 2000 people attended Whanganui's Anzac Day Dawn Service, held outside the Whanganui War Memorial Centre. Photo / Fin Ocheduszko Brown
Despite the chilly early morning temperature of 7C, an estimated 2000 people gathered outside the Whanganui War Memorial Centre to pay their respects to the fallen.
The event started with the fall-in march, which included Defence Force personnel, Returned and Services’ Association (RSA) personnel, emergency services, Scouts, Guides, school representatives and others.
Speeches were made by Whanganui RSA Welfare Trust president Robert Allen, Whanganui Mayor Andrew Tripe and Captain John Granville.
Tripe shared “two ordinary stories of extraordinary people from Whanganui” who were involved in World War I, Billy Connell and Annie Montgomerie.
Connell, who moved to Whanganui in 1911, was 21 when the war broke out and, against protocol, took his camera to Europe and captured his story.
He received a medal for rescuing an officer under fire and was later evacuated to England as he was suffering from shellshock, or PTSD.
Connell died on November 25, 1918, from influenza. He was 25. He is interred at Aramoho Cemetery.
Whanganui Mayor Andrew Tripe (right) with Dawn Hooper (left) and her grandson Jack Murdoch, who came from Australia to pay their respects. Photo / Fin Ocheduszko Brown
Tripe described Montgomerie as “a Whanganui woman determined to keep her family together during war”.
She moved to London in 1916 to be closer to her two sons, who were serving, and navigated life in wartime Britain.
Tripe acknowledged the importance of differing perspectives.
“We usually gain information about the war from men in particular from their diaries and letters; however, just as important are the views and perspective of women,” he said.
Guest speaker Captain John Granville said it was fitting that the service was held at the Whanganui War Memorial Centre, which was a memorial for 378 men from the Whanganui District who did not return from World War II.
“These monuments were built with a focus for families to mourn and citizens to remember and honour those that did not return,” Granville said.
He finished by quoting Benjamin Franklin.
“There never was a good war nor a bad peace,” he said.
Mike Green (left), who has family members currently serving, and Grant Allen attended Whanganui's Anzac Day Dawn Service. Photo / Fin Ocheduszko Brown
In attendance was Mike Green, who is employed to look after the cenotaph and has family members currently serving in the forces.
He said his job had made him become a part of the commemorations year-by-year and he was pleased to see the strong turnout, especially the number of children present.
“It’s important because it is to remember those that have passed and it’s their grandparents, great-great-grandparents,” Green said.
“Even those that didn’t serve, they still come along to remember somebody.”
This year marks 80 years since the liberation of the death camps and Victory in Europe Day – the surrender of Germany and conclusion of World War II in Europe.
In his speech, RSA president Allen referenced current warfare around the globe and the lessons younger generations must learn.
“The world in which we live has seen a series of massive setbacks to stability in regions across the world,” he said.
“The horrors of war should not be forgotten and there is hope that the younger generation are taught that if war is in any sense worse than hell, then this is true and large measure because war is the unleashing of hell and evil in its purest form – evil always seeks to harm the purest, the best and the innocent, first and foremost.
After the service, Club Metro served traditional rum and coffee and a cooked breakfast.
28th Māori Battalion service
The 28th Māori Battalion Anzac Service was held at Pākaitore Moutoa Gardens at 11am.
Hundreds of people gathered to pay tribute, with Tamahau Te Rau leading the ceremony.
Hone Tamehana (left), Tamahau Te Rau, Mark Pirikahu and Rawiri Te Hina at the 28th Māori Battalion Anzac Service. Photo / Fin Ocheduszko Brown
In his address, Te Rau stressed the importance of connecting the fallen soldiers back to Whanganui and how Whanganui led the way with tributes and ceremonies after World War I.
He said 2026 would be a big year for the service as it would be 100 years since the Whanganui Māori War Memorial was unveiled at Pākaitore Moutoa Gardens.
“The Māori ceremony has long stood as the tuakana – the older sibling of the Anzac Day commemorations in Whanganui,” Te Rau said.
“It is, and continues to be, a powerful expression of unity, recognition and tikanga.”
A few hundred people gathered at Pākaitore Moutoa Gardens for the 28th Māori Battalion Anzac Service. Photo / Fin Ocheduszko Brown
He encouraged people to attend next year’s historic event.
“Find understanding because some of this is around the whole context of Whanganui’s commitment to our soldiers that served, sacrificed and contributed to our freedom and our citizenship,” Te Rau said.
“Some of our younger ones don’t understand why we have a Māori ceremony and a dawn ceremony and which one came out of which.”
The Māori ceremony was established a decade before the dawn service in 1936.
There were also Anzac Day services at Brunswick and Pākaraka, as well as in the Rangitīkei, Ruapehu and South Taranaki districts.
Members of the Mangaweka community listen as Kerry Fallen delivers the closing karakia at the Mangaweka Dawn Service. Photo / Richard Aslett
In Mangaweka, about 100 members of the community gathered under a crystal-clear sky, with temperatures hovering around the frost zone, for the Dawn Parade and Service, resident Richard Aslett said.
The sun comes up over wreaths laid at the Memorial Gates at Mangaweka School. Photo / Richard Aslett
Wreaths were laid at Mangaweka School’s Memorial Gates by individuals and organisations, including Mangaweka Heritage, Fire Service, Mangaweka School, Mangaweka Playcentre, Rangitikei District Council, RSA and others.
