Gather to honour veterans

but did not want to talk about his experience during that time. The only time Korean veterans would talk about the war was if you got three veterans in a room by themselves, Gibson said.

About 150 people attended the Orawia dawn service, which was followed by the Tuatapere RSA’s service where more than 250 people turned out. Afterwards there was a parade to the Tuatapere Memorial Library where hundreds of hand-crocheted red and purple poppies were placed on the front lawn.

About 140 people attended the Mossburn dawn service. Included was Mick Carran, the only living Mossburn RSA World War II veteran. Carran, 95, joined NZ Division in 1943 and was based in Italy for two years.

A service at Wendonside was also a day of quiet celebration to mark the war memorial’s 100th birthday. The community had held a ‘‘welcome home’’ party for its returned servicemen in 1919.

Thirty-seven soldiers from the community had served in the war and 13 did not come home, and five Wendonside men who served in World War II also died while serving overseas.

Their names were read out in a roll of honour at the short service, before bugle player Lindsay Wright played the Last Post.

Wright also played the Last Post at Wendon later in the afternoon, where Alan Fowler unveiled a new war memorial.

Earlier in the day at Gore, large trucks were used as an extra security measure to block traffic from driving on streets leading to the town’s cenotaph.

Gore RSA president Jarrad Scott thought numbers could be down at this year’s service but was pleased with the turnout.

‘‘It makes me think about the chaps who didn’t come back.’’ World War II Staff Sergeant Lewis Nicholson, in Te Anau