23 December 2015

Last Post to Sound at Pukeahu Throughout Festive Season

The daily Last Post ceremony will continue throughout the Christmas period, including Christmas and New Year’s Days, at the Pukeahu National War Memorial Park in Wellington, at 5pm.

Members of the public and New Zealand Defence Force personnel take part in the seven-minute ceremony, which includes the lowering of the National War Memorial’s flags, the playing of the Last Post, and the recitation of the Ode of Remembrance in both Māori and English.

The ceremony is a New Zealand Defence Force and Ministry for Culture and Heritage initiative and has been conducted every night since 25 April 2015. It will continue each night until 11 November 2018.

Members of the public can participate by reciting the Ode in English or Māori, by filling out the form on the Ministry for Culture and Heritage’s website www.mch.govt.nz/last-post (please note that all positions for the Christmas-New Year period have been filled.)

ends