Dawn parade attendance urged
Today’s generation of current and recently-serving defence forces are being encouraged to join Paraparaumu RSA’s dawn parade on Anzac Day so that yesterday’s veterans can show their respect for modern-day veterans.
Paraparaumu RSA president Philip Simpson said what New Zealand has seen over the last four years has been a huge effort to honour the sacrifices of a single generation involved in World War I.
“This has tended to overlook the part being played around the world over the last 45 years in armed conflicts and peacekeeping roles by our young men and women.
“By putting their lives on the line they are just as much “veterans” as those who fought in full-scale wars.”
Today there are 31,000 postVietnam veterans, with 20,000 of them having served or serving in 28 modern-day conflicts or peacekeeping missions around the world. These included conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq, the Middle East, Persian Gulf, Timor-Leste, Bougainville and the Solomon Islands.
“While the RSA will never forget those who lost their lives in World War II, Korea, Malaysia/Borneo, and Vietnam, today’s generation and their families are just as deserving of our respect and its time we showed them that.”
Philip is appealing for a strong turnout of today’s generation of veterans and their families at the dawn parade at the Paraparaumu Memorial Arch at 6.30am on Thursday April 25.
He is appealing “so that we can show them the respect they deserve”.
He said it’s just as important that family members of today’s generation, many of whom have been impacted by the effects of service on their homecoming members, turn out to share in the regard in which they are held.
Guest speakers will include Col Paul Dragicevich of the New Zealand Defence Force and the Australian High Commission’s minister counsellor for home affairs James Watson.