Armistice Day service on standby
A poor weather forecast in Palmerston North threatens to relocate an important military commemoration ceremony.
The city will fall silent during Armistice Day commemorations at 11am today but organisers are yet to decide whether the event will go ahead at the cenotaph in The Square or if it will be relocated to the Conference and Function Centre.
Rain is forecasted for Manawatu¯ throughout the morning, the same time bells are set to ring, just as they did 101 years ago at the end of the Great War.
The guns famously fell silent on the Western Front on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.
A final decision on where the service will be held will bemade at 9am and released on the Palmerston North City Council Facebook page.
Despite the ominous forecast, organiser Joe Hollander urged people to attend and remember a significant event in New Zealand’s history.
‘‘At the end of the day, it was the Great War.
‘‘That is whywe still commemorate it, and 20,000 Kiwis died which was quite a dent in our population of about 1million at the time. People don’t forget that.
‘‘There weren’t too many families that weren’t affected.’’
Palmerston North Boys’ High
School student Jacob waugh will speak about the importance of Armistice Day.
Waugh was the winner of a speech competition that prompted the younger generation to think about the impact of war. Hollander said encouraging the younger generation to undertake such reflection would stop Anzac events from dying out.
The competition was introduced initially by the Returned and Services Association several years ago but a lack of interest stopped the event until Hollander re-ignited it.
The unveiling of the final Poppy Places road signs in Palmerston North will also coincide with the service.
Signs for the Central Energy Trust Arena and the Awapuni Racecourse will be launched at the Palmerston North Conference and Function Centre by mayor Grant Smith at midday, following the Armistice Day commemorations.