Family hands over honours board to RSA
WINTON
TEARS were shed as family members of a man who died suddenly got the chance to hand over an archived war memorial honours board on his behalf.
War memorial specialist Ann Robbie made a lastminute dash to Tracy Crossley’s Dipton home on Tuesday, before Mrs Crossley’s son, Michael, left for London ahead of the latest Covid19 lockdown.
She carried the Fern Hill war memorial honours board, with the names of those from Southland who served and died in World War 1 and the Boer War.
Central Southland man Chris Crossley, Tracy’s husband and
Michael’s father, had organised for the honours board to be taken out of the Southland District Council’s archives and handed over to the Winton RSA.
However, he died suddenly last month before it could be done.
Mrs Robbie said it was really important for his family to be able to ‘‘fulfil that honour’’.
‘‘They were in tears and very, very proud.
‘‘They just stared at it and were amazed by how many names were on there from Southland.’’
Many names on the honours board were familiar in the district.
‘‘There must have been hundreds of names on it [of those] that still live here in the region.’’
Later that day, the honours board was taken to the Winton RSA where a small group of members, New Zealand Army representatives and Southland District Council staff watched as it was officially handed over to the RSA.
Sergeant Zane Langford, who is set to move to Samoa to live with his family, led the handover as his last official duty for the army.
Following the small ceremony, the honours board was hung in the hall at the Winton RSA for everyone to see, Mrs Robbie said.
‘‘It’s great to have it home. It’s another wee tick in the box getting another honours board back to where it belongs.’’