Military links add to emotion for family
STRONG military connections made the 100th anniversary of the end of World War 1, ‘‘the war to end all wars’’, particularly poignant for one Dunedin family, who were among thousands gathered at the Dunedin Cenotaph yesterday.
Former New Zealand Defence Force civilian nurse Kelly Morrissey attended the Armistice Day service among the crosses in Queens Gardens, along with her son Nik (10) and her mother Adrienne Moore.
Nik wore medals belonging to his father Dwain, who was not at the ceremony yesterday.
He served in East Timor as a logistics officer with the New Zealand Army, about eight years ago.
Mrs Morrissey said both she and Dwain left the military to focus on raising a family, but they still had strong connections. ‘‘It is one big family.’’
It was important to realise on days such as Armistice Day that there were still New Zealand soldiers serving overseas, she said.
Something the speakers at the service touched on was the effect on the soldiers who survived, and Mrs Morrissey said conflicts always changed people.
‘‘Even East Timor — going over there, it changed my husband; it changed my friends.’’
Nik, a pupil at Balaclava School, said although his father’s medals were heavy, he was proud to wear them, and he thought the service was ‘‘pretty cool’’.
Mrs Moore, whose son had also served in the air force, donned the medals given to her father for his service in World War 2.
She said her grandfather fought at Gallipoli during World War 1, but never really spoke about his experiences. When she was growing up, she never wondered about his silence.
‘‘We didn’t think about it then. It’s not till later that you realise,’’ she said.