Celebrating 1918 with joyful noise

 

BY JULIA WADE

Reflection, prayer, revered silence and the poignant Last Post followed by a ‘whole lot of noise’, marked Hakaru RSA’s 100th anniversary of WWI Armistice Day, held on the 11th hour of the 11th month, 2018.

Attended by a 50 strong crowd including former servicemen and women, RSA members, local police, fire brigade and St John, Mangawhai Cadets, and Kaipara District Council representatives, the ceremony was a mixture of respectful remembrance for those who were lost, as well as celebration for the end of a brutal war that cost New Zealand dearly. Ten percent of NZ’s 1918 population, 100,000 Kiwi’s, served in the war with 18,000 souls tragically paying the ultimate price. 

Hakaru RSA president, Bill Warren, says there was a few surprising extras at the ceremony, with photos of seven formerly unknown fallen servicemen joining the path of white crosses. 

“We did something different this year; we put framed photos of the deceased next to their cross but found a handful of photos we didn’t know,” he says. “However from going through recently-found old records, we’ve since discovered these men are from the Otamatea area, so now they’ll be put onto our remembrance board and be part of the ceremonies from now on.” 

Like many events around the world, Hakaru ended the ceremony with a cacophony of car horns, fire truck and police sirens as well as cheers, to reflect the noisy jubilation which erupted a hundred years ago once people heard the news that WWI had finally come to an end. 

The ceremony was the areas second Armistice service and, while this year was an especially poignant one being the centenary, Warren says it will be an annual event.

“I wouldn’t expect the same numbers but be good to carry on. Thank you to everyone for turning up and making the day what it was.”

1: Fallen servicewomen and men were given further identity at the ceremony thanks to recently found photographs. 

4: Seven ‘lost’ servicemen have found their place and will now join the Remembrance Wall with other fallen comrades of the area.

PHOTOS/Heather Graham