Whanganui’s Anzac Day dawn parade and service back for 2023

A service at the War Memorial Centre forecourt will follow the parade in Whanganui. Photo / NZME

The Anzac Day dawn parade and service in Whanganui is returning this year after being cancelled in 2022.

Returned and Services’ Association (RSA) Whanganui chairman Rod Hart said the parade would assemble outside the Davis Library at Pukenamu Queen’s Park at 5.10am on Tuesday, April 25, and march to the Whanganui Cenotaph at 5.15am.

A service on the War Memorial Centre forecourt begins at 5.30am.

“It’s business as usual this year and I’m really looking forward to it,” Hart said.

“Last year, people were saying it was a travesty that we cancelled but, at the time, Whanganui had the highest rate of Covid-19 in New Zealand. We didn’t really have a choice.”

Following the service, there will be breakfast at Club Metro, along with rum and coffee.

The RSA held a private ceremony in 2022 due to the threat of the pandemic.

“That was just for the veterans and their families and it was invitation only because we needed to spread people out,” Hart said.

“This year, it’s back to normal. We’ll be doing our thing.”

Elsewhere, the Taihape and District RSA will also host a dawn parade and service on April 25.

Members of the RSA will form up opposite the Town Hall at 5.45am, with medals to be worn.

Service organisations, schools and members of the public are welcome to march with the parade and attend the service. Anyone attending may wear the medals of deceased relatives on their right breast.

Service organisations, clubs, schools and members of the public who wish to lay a wreath must contact Russ Levy on 027 466 8393 to have their names added to the list.

At the conclusion of the service, all those attending are invited to the Workingmen’s Club for breakfast.

A service on the War Memorial Centre forecourt will commence after the parade. Photo / NZME

A commemorative service at Pākaraka begins at 9.30am at the Waitōtara County War Memorial.

At Waiouru, the New Zealand Army Museum will have an Anzac Day civic service at 11am followed by live readings from Gallipoli soldiers’ diaries at 1pm.

The service will be held outside on the museum’s parade ground, with soldiers on parade, a catafalque guard, an Army bugler and flag marshalls.

The museum’s Kippenberger Research Library will be open during the day for those interested in connecting with their family history and there will be poppy craft activities for families in the Hassett Room.

In Marton, a service will be held at the Marton RSA and Citizens Memorial Hall on Wellington Rd at 5.30am, with light refreshments to be served afterwards.

A service in Hunterville begins at 5.45am at the cenotaph on High St. This will be followed by the unveiling of a plaque commemorating companion animals.

Bulls’ service begins at 6am at the cenotaph on the corner of State Highway 1 and Daniell St, and in Pātea a service at the cenotaph next to the waka on State Highway 3 begins at 6.30am.

Hāwera’s service also begins at 6.30am at the Memorial Archway on Princess St.

Plaques will be unveiled for Afghanistan, Iraq, East Timor and Solomon Islands deployments.

The Raetihi dawn service begins at Raetihi Marae at 6am before a march and laying of wreaths at the two cemeteries. Breakfast at the marae will follow.

In Ohakune, a service will be held at the Memorial Gates on State Highway 49 at 11am.

Hart said volunteers were needed for the Poppy Day appeal in Whanganui.

It is held every year on April 21 and is the RSA’s main fundraising activity.

Donations go towards improving the health and well-being of the country’s veterans, regardless of age.

“We just need people to come and help us do the collection,” Hart said.

“There are a lot of younger veterans in society but they don’t really see themselves as crusty old RSA people.

“To be honest, five years ago I was of exactly the same opinion. It’s only when I got involved and saw what it did that I actually joined.”

Hart said Whanganui’s collection would run from 10am to 2.30pm, with eight stations around town.

Members of the Whanganui Cadet Unit will be collecting at supermarkets this weekend.

“We are running out of veterans and we just don’t have enough people any more to have a two-day collection,” Hart said.