Golden Bay in Anzac Day remembrance

Golden Bay marked Anzac Day with services of remembrance in both its major townships. Services were held both at dawn and later in the morning at Collingwood cenotaph and in Tākaka Memorial Gardens.

In Tākaka, as dawn broke, Noel Baigent, President of the Golden Bay Returned and Services Association, thanked everyone who turned up to honour the fallen.

He explained that the commemoration was held at dawn due to the time of day that the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps were “deep in battle with the Ottoman Army at Gallipoli.” He called the landing a “fiasco”, explaining how the first soldiers, some as young as 18, had already landed on the beaches at 4.30am that morning, and were “cut to pieces” by Turkish gunfire from the ridges above.

“They were young men who went off to fight, standing up to protect our sovereignty and our freedoms against the oppression of others.”

Noel paid tribute to not only the original Anzacs but also to those deployed during WWII, plus all other conflicts in Malaysia, Korea, Vietnam, and more recently in Afghanistan, Iraq, and East Timor, as well as all personnel deployed on peacekeeping operations.

“Most importantly, we honour all the New Zealand servicemen and women who have lost their lives in military operations carried out in our country’s name. We also honour those who returned, their lives changed forever by what they experienced. And we honour and thank those who serve in our army, navy, and air force today. Anzac Day is our opportunity to remember and honour all who have worn our country’s uniform in service.”

The Collingwood dawn service saw a good turnout at the war memorial where president of Collingwood RSA Paddy Gillooly presided over the short ceremony.

There was also a large turnout for the 9am service in Tākaka. To the sound of marching tunes played by the Tākaka Citizens Band, a parade of veterans, current servicemen, emergency service personnel and community leaders made its way along Commercial Street to the Memorial Gardens, where around 250 people were gathered.

Noel opened the proceedings with a welcome and invited all to stand and sing God Save the King with accompaniment from the Tākaka Citizens Band.

The order of service continued with prayers led by Reverend Nathaniel Petterson, followed by a hymn and the laying of wreaths. The traditional Last Post prefaced The Ode to the fallen and a period of silence before the Reveille and the raising of flags.

Noel then handed over to Golden Bay High School teacher Jan Stark who introduced three student speakers – Emily Hohepa, Philipp Hellmeister and Jodi Jefferson – who she explained would provide “three perspectives on the importance of looking to the past in order to negotiate the future”.

Emily began by citing a Māori proverb. “Kia whakatōmuri te haere whakamua…I walk backwards into the future with my eyes fixed on my past.” She referred to one of her ancestors who fought with a revered Māori battalion. “I am proud of my whakapapa… it enables me to understand where I come from and where I stand.”

Philipp, who came to the Bay in January as a German exchange student, provided a new perspective on Anzac remembrance. The 16-year-old from Mainz said he was “honoured to speak” at the service and explained that his great grandfathers had fought in WWII, with one of them drafted to the Russian front and ending up in a French prison camp, not returning home until 1947. “War is the worst thing on Earth,” said Philipp. “Today should be a day of remembrance.”

Jodi also referred to one of her ancestor’s involvement in that conflict. “My great-uncle fought in World War Two.” She said she admired his bravery, and that of the women left behind, and talked about the “intense emotional impact” of war.

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