Armistice commemorations mark 100 years

Large crowd marks anniversary of 1918 Armistice Day

‘It is hard for us now to imagine how it felt to hear the news that the war was over and the relief and hopefulness of their loved ones returning back home to their families.”

Those were the words of Whanga¯rei RSA president Chris Harold at yesterday’s Armistice Day centenary commemorations in Whanga¯rei. The ceremony was one of several held across Northland.

The armistice that ended World War I was signed on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918.

Around 500 people, including school students, scouts, cadets, veterans, police and members of the public gathered at the cenotaph at Whanga¯rei’s Laurie Hall Park at 10.30am for the ceremony.

A field of remembrance set up in front of the cenotaph was made up of 290 crosses with the names of the men from the Whanga¯rei district who did not return home after the war.

Harold said those men remain in the countries in which they breathed their last breath.

Whanga¯rei mayor Sheryl Mai spoke of the “devastating loss of life” caused by the war and the outpouring of emotion when news came through it was over.

“It would have been impossible to find a family in New Zealand that hadn’t been directly affected.”

After the laying of wreaths and the reading of The Ode, the ceremony was ahead of schedule so people were invited to lay poppies on the cenotaph before the final part of the ceremony.

Retired Merchant Navy chief engineer Nick Padfield said he laid his wreath to commemorate the millions of animals killed in the conflict.

After a moment’s silence and the playing of the Last Post at exactly 11am, Whanga¯rei RSA vice-president Kevin Peachey, lead the crowd with three cheers.

It was part of call by WW100 to create a Roaring Chorus to mark the centenary of the armistice that ended the war in 1918.

Mai had a small clapper in each hand which she shook to lead the joyful cacophony.

Harold said the crowd was bigger than usual, with Armistice Day normally attracting around 150 to 200 people.

He put the bigger attendance down to it being the centenary and that the day fell on a weekend.

Photos / John Stone Veterans Percy Blundell and Peter Nicholl lay a wreath on behalf of the Vietnam and Malaya veterans.

Whanga¯rei RSA’s Kevin Peachey, Rev George Nathan-Patuawa, Whanga¯rei RSA’s D’Arcy Bailey and Chris Harold and Whanga¯rei mayor Sheryl Mai.

Around 500 people gathered for the ceremony

Piper Angus Trail performs at the Armistice Day commemoration in Whanga¯rei.