Wellington US Memorial Day service at Old St Paul's Church,

Wellington US Memorial Day service at Old St Paul's Church, 2014

Today’s Memorial Day service at Old St Paul’s Church was attended by over 100 people. US Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. Marie Damour gave remarks to an audience of New Zealand Defence Force Chiefs including, local MPs and politicians. Invited guests from the NZDF including the Chief of the NZ Defence Force, Lieutenant General Tim Keating, and other distinguished guests also laid wreaths.

Memorial Day is similar to Anzac Day and is held annually on the final Monday of May. It honours the men and women who have died while serving in the US defence forces. It originated during the US civil war in 1868, where citizens decorated the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers. By the 20th century it was extended to commemorate all US citizens who have fallen in all of the nation’s military conflicts.

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