Kaeo flies pennants for fallen ANZACs
Kaeo flies pennants for fallen ANZACs
For a week before ANZAC Day Whangaroa Armed Services Commemorations 2015 will fly 37 pennants in Kaeo to honour each local ANZAC who never returned from World War 1.
“The banners include ANZACs whose names are not on local memorial lists because, for various reasons, they went to another town to enlist,” says group member Alistair Kay. “As far as we know the sacrifice of some of these men has never been acknowledged in their home towns. We want to remember all those who left here for war and our group mission, ‘remembering the fallen and honouring those who served and their families, both past and present,’ reflects that.”
“We invite the community to a powhiri and blessing on Sunday the 19th at 1.30pm at Kaeo’s Wesleydale Memorial Church,” says Kuia Mereana Tua. “As part of our centennial celebration the pennants will displayed in the church, open from 10 until 4, for the rest of the week.”
“We are also filming stories about the experiences of veterans and their families,” Mr Kay says. “This is an ongoing project so we want to know if you or anyone you know has stories to share.”
After the powhiri and blessing on Sunday the tributes will be on display throughout the week alongside other centennial events, including bus and barge tours of local war cemeteries and historic sites, audio visual broadcasts of veterans’ recollections and family entertainment from 3.30 to 9pm on Friday. ANZAC Day events will be run by the RSA on Saturday 25th April.
ENDS