Around 25 veterans marched at the Hibiscus Coast Community RSA’s private Anzac service.

The march of a small number of veterans was a key moment in the private Anzac service held this year at the Hibiscus Coast Community RSA in Vipond Road.

Two very well attended public services are normally held at the RSA on Anzac Day, but this year participation at the single, 11am service was limited to veterans, their families, and a small contingent of the Air Cadets of No. 5 (Rodney District) Squadron, Air Training Corps (HM April 18).

From left, Leonard Sears of Millwater served in the NZ Navy for more than 20 years. Now aged 82, he is known to his family and comrades as ‘Onion’, due to his ability to make people laugh so hard they cry.Rob Thompson wore the NZ War Medal replica which acknowledges the service of his Great Great Grandfather Karaitiana Rotoatara – a colonial scout who was killed in action during the NZ War. Rob says the NZ War deserves to be added to the conflicts commemorated on Anzac Day.

Wreaths were laid by the Hibiscus Coast Community RSA, its Women’s Section, the Kings Empire Veterans, the RNZ Airforce and veterans of the Korean, Malayan and Vietnam wars. A wreath was also laid on behalf of the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board by member Janet Fitzgerald.

Members of Silverdale Fire Brigade and Police were also in attendance, forming a guard of honour as the veterans marched down to the cenotaph.

The half hour long service included all the traditional elements – a welcome by Hibiscus Coast Community RSA president David Dryden, prayers and readings, the Last Post played by bugler Paul Shaw, the reading of The Ode, raising and lowering of the flag, the singing of the NZ and Australian national anthems and the laying of wreaths.

Afterwards, there were refreshments in the clubrooms.

Next year the local RSA hopes to be able to again hold public dawn and 11am services at its Vipond Road base.

Community out in force to mark Anzac Day

Commander Frank Rands funded the 32 white crosses that make up this Anzac Day memorial walkway into Remembrance Reserve in Ōrewa. The crosses were made by members of the Hibiscus Men’s Shed and Frank is now conducting research, in the hope of placing the names of Ōrewa locals who died in war on each cross over time.

The Anzac Service at Remembrance Reserve in Ōrewa attracted around double the number of participants this year.

Around 400 people of all ages crowded onto the reserve for the 1pm service which took place to the sound of waves breaking on Ōrewa Beach.

Although numbers have been growing year on year, organisers, who include Commander Frank Rands and Hibiscus & Bays Local Board member Andy Dunn, suspect that this year’s large crowd was, in part, because there was no public service held at Vipond Road.

Politicians were out in force, including Whangaparāoa MP Mark Mitchell, Auckland Councillors Wayne Walker and John Watson, and Hibiscus & Bays Local Board chair Gary Brown and members Andy Dunn and Leanne Willis. Mayoral candidate Viv Beck was also there, commenting on the strong community feel of the event.

The service was notable for the number of young people involved, including a big group from Ōrewa College (who led the singing) and readings by students from Ōrewa Primary and Ōrewa Beach schools. For the first time, The Ode was read in Filipino and Te Reo Maori as well as English.

Other local services, at Puhoi and Upper Waiwera cenotaph, were also well attended.

Many of the speeches given at this year’s Anzac services made note of the current conflict in the Ukraine – “freedom only survives as long as people are willing to defend it”, Commander Frank Rands said.