Manawatu Guardian
By Joe Hollander
11 Oct, 2023
Palmerston North war memorials deserve respect, not vandalism, says RSA vice-president Joe Hollander
Joe Hollander says there needs to be more education and understanding in the community about what memorials like the Palmerston North Cenotaph represent. Photo / Judith Lacy
OPINION
I am appalled at the increasing vandalisation of our memorials in Palmerston North.
I am a ratepayer, and one who has spent nearly a third of my life in uniform with the NZ Army and in voluntary service within the community.
The city council has spent well over $100,000 this year on repairing damage caused by vandals, including four graffiti attacks to date on the Palmerston North Cenotaph in Te Marae o Hine/The Square. This is unacceptable and inappropriate behaviour and must be stopped.
About 1430 residents of the Palmerston North area made the ultimate sacrifice in service of our country and died in myriad wars and conflicts, from the South African wars of the late 19th century and World War I and II to the wars in Korea, Malaya and Vietnam, right up until the present day.
Their names are inscribed on the cenotaph, which is a memorial to their sacrifice and service and should be given the respect it deserves.
Other areas where sacrifice has been recognised and respect should be shown, and also where significant damage has occurred through this disgraceful vandalism, include our two service cemeteries at Kelvin Grove and Terrace End, as well as Memorial Park.
This mindless action has no benefit and is an affront to the individuals and their whānau who have made this sacrifice. Most of the damage has been caused by younger members of our community, and unless their parents, whānau, peers and colleagues take measures to prevent this, then sacrifice and service will have no meaning in life.
There needs to be more education and understanding in the community and schools to focus on the need for respect and the sacrifices made by others, so that we live in a free and friendly democratic society based on respect.
Perhaps the individuals who are caught causing this damage could also be made to repair it and become involved in supervised community service, including cleaning up and rectifying their mess, and also improving their understanding of the sacrifice made and the respect required.
The community should not tolerate such disgraceful behaviour and must take such measures as are necessary to prevent this from happening. We cannot accept this lack of respect and must take action to stop it.
In the closing words of The Ode of Remembrance, recited on Anzac Day, Armistice Day and also in all RSA clubs: “Ka maumahara tonu tatou ki a ratou – We will remember them”.
Armistice Day is just one month away on November 11, when we will gather again at the cenotaph.
Joe Hollander is the chairman of the Palmerston North Defence Heritage Advisory Group and vice-president of the Palmerston North RSA.
Former Feilding soldier Patrick Nolan shares his experiences working as a yeoman warder
Picture 1: Patrick Nolan in his yeoman warder state dress. Photo / Alan Gibson
By Judith Lacy, editor of the Manawatū Guardian
His eyes increasingly turn to the other side of the world for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations, a Feilding resident has a treasure trove of stories about his time in London.
Patrick Nolan spent 16 years working and living in the Tower of London. He was the first non-British-serving serviceman to work as a yeoman warder.
It all started when he was a tourist at the world heritage site.
"[The yeoman warder] had a group of people in the palm of his hand. He was talking to them, he was taking the mickey."
The yeoman warder was asking American tourists if they were in London to learn English and the Australians if they were visiting for the culture. Nolan asked the beefeater, as they are nicknamed, how you become a yeoman warder. The man replied you needed at least 22 years in the military, awarded the long service and good conduct medal, be married and be an all-round good egg.
Nolan figured he met all the criteria and asked where he should sign up. The beefeater looked down his nose and said "my god, we've never had a colonial before".
Nolan and his wife Dawn were not deterred and during the application process "a small rainforest was sacrificed".
Nolan, 76, shared his story at the May military history presentation in Palmerston North, organised by the Royal New Zealand Engineers Charitable Trust and City Library.
Picture 2: Former yeoman warder at the Tower of London Patrick Nolan and his wife Dawn. Photo / Judith Lacy
Former yeoman warder at the Tower of London Patrick Nolan and his wife Dawn. Photo / Judith Lacy
When the Nolans returned to London for the interview, they were met at the gate by the resident governor, retired Major-General Christopher Tyler. Tyler said to Patrick anyone who had the wit to marry the sister of an All Black would be an asset to the tower. Dawn's brother, the late Doug Rollerson, also played for Manawatū.
The interview took place in the house Henry VIII built for Anne Boleyn. Nolan spotted a table that appeared past its use-by date. He found out it was around that table the committee that sentenced Guy Fawkes to death had sat.
Feilding resident Patrick Nolan gave an entertaining talk in Palmerston North last week about his time as a beefeater.
Picture 3: Feilding resident Patrick Nolan gave an entertaining talk in Palmerston North last week about his time as a beefeater. Photo / Judith Lacy
"I've never worked in my life," Nolan said at the start of his talk.
He was born in Marton, and grew up in Bunnythorpe. He was in the New Zealand Army for 29 years, joining at 15 as a regular force cadet.
In his early 20s, Nolan served in Vietnam as a driver operator. He later served in Singapore and Sinai.
Yeoman warders have been guarding the tower since Tudor times and nowadays are primarily tour guides. Nolan had much to learn to conduct the six-stop tour with a scripted history.
"You had to pause on the commas and take a breath on the full stops and you had to repeat it as it was written down," he said.
"The questions were difficult but you defer to your mentor, you listen to how he answers it and you pick it up very quickly."
Some were easier to answer, though perhaps harder to retain your composure. What side of the river was the bridge on? Did Lady Jane Grey carve her name in the stone wall before or after her head was cut off? How many times is a person executed?
About 48 million people went through the tower in the 16 years Nolan worked there. It was built in 1078 by William the Conqueror. "He saw the same bricks and blocks in exactly the same place as I did, it was mind boggling, it was overwhelming."
Picture 4: Part of Patrick Nolan's yeoman warder state dress.
The red state dress uniform was worn on important occasions such as the monarch's birthday and holy
days. The more durable everyday dark blue uniform was introduced in the 19th century.
It is thought the beefeater nickname is derived from their position in the Royal Bodyguard, which permitted them to eat as much beef as they wanted from the King's table.
Soldier's grave recognised after it went unmarked for over 100 years
Manawatu Standard, 26 April 2022
Adam Blackwell12:03, Apr 24 2022
A soldier who served in the Boer War and Gallipoli campaign but later died in a train accident, has been recognised with a headstone after his grave went unmarked for over 100 years.
Alexander William Roberts was buried without a headstone in Terrace End Cemetery in Palmerston North in 1917.
On Saturday that was rectified with the unveiling of a headstone dedicated to him and his father, John Roberts, who is buried with him.
Alexander Roberts survived both wars, but died when he was run over by the Auckland Express train at Marton Junction on August 22, 1917.
Palmerston North RSA executive member Ian Bailey discovered Roberts’ grave when he was searching the cemetery system for someone called William Robert and accidently put an ‘S’ on the end.
Since then, he was determined to instal a headstone in recognition of Alexander Roberts and his father.
Bailey said Alexander Roberts was discharged from Gallipoli with dysentery, but also suffered an injury to his hand when it was hit by shrapnel.
He was on his way from Whanganui to Palmerston North when he had to switch trains in Marton.
In doing so, he slipped and fell trying to get onto the train while it was moving.
“His mother always reckoned it was that damage to his right hand that caused him to miss grabbing hold of the carriage on the train and slipping underneath and getting killed,” Bailey said.
Ever since his discovery of Roberts, Bailey had been lobbying the Ministry of Culture and Heritage for it to put a headstone on his grave, but it would not.
After that, Simon Strombom from The New Zealand Remembrance Army got involved and said he could do it through Veterans' Affairs.
Relatives from Taranaki were travelling down to be there when the headstone was unveiled, one of those was Peter Millar, whose great uncle was Alexander Roberts.
Millar said he had always known about Roberts, but it had been an interesting journey to learn more.
He was unsure why there was never a headstone on the grave but was grateful there would be one there now.
“It’s a mark of recognition, we do appreciate the efforts that Ian Bailey and Simon Strombom went to.”
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PRESS RELEASE 13 APRIL 2022
Anzac Day Dawn and Civic services will be combined this year
Anzac Day services in and around Palmy will be going ahead this year on 25 April, with a few changes. At 6am a Community Dawn Service of Commemoration and Remembrance will be held in Te Marae o Hine – The Square, to pay respect to New Zealand’s fallen soldiers and to honour returned servicemen and women.
Council’s Head of Events, Luke McIndoe, says that with the current Omicron situation in our community and guidance from the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF), we’ll be exercising some extra precautions for our central city’s commemorations.
“The usual parade will not be going ahead and there will be just the one service at dawn.”
This year the NZDF have announced that they will not be formally supporting any Anzac Day commemorations and gatherings across the country. It says that throughout the pandemic, additional measures have been put in place by the NZDF to protect staff, capability and outputs to ensure that they are able to maintain the capacity to be ready to respond to emergencies.
Mr McIndoe says the 6am service on Monday 25 April will take place at the Cenotaph in Te Marae o Hine – The Square, and this has been organised in conjunction with the Palmerston North Returned and Services’ Association and the Palmerston North Anzac and Armistice Day Organising Committee.
“The service will begin with an official opening and a set number of veterans and personnel will lay wreaths during the lament, to commemorate their comrades in arms. This will be followed by community groups, who are invited to participate and lay a wreath at the Dawn service, but they must register on the Council website beforehand. All registrations to lay a wreath must be received by 20 April.”
Over Anzac weekend, there will also be a large installation of crosses in Te Marae o Hine – The Square, along with silhouettes displayed on the clock tower.
Mr McIndoe says Council understands that it is an uncertain time, and many people may choose not to attend.
“We invite them to join us at the 6am service, but we’re also encouraging people to Stand at Dawn and commemorate in their own way. We look forward to returning to two services, but we understand that in these uncertain times we will simply be remembering our fallen in different ways.”
Other services being held in or around the city are:
Bunnythorpe – Cenotaph – 9.30am
Ashhurst – Village Green – 6am and 12pm
Find out more at www.pncc.govt.nz/anzac
Manawatu Guardian: 27th January 2022
Manawatu Guardian: 3 March 2022
Pain and cruelty of war remembered
Manawatu Guardian 18 November 2021
New generation marks sacrifices of those before them
The winner of the 2021 Palmerston North RSA Youth Speech Competition, Leo Mwape, read his winning speech at the Armistice Day service. Listen to what he had to say by clicking on the start arrow above.
Cruel. That was how Palmerston North Mayor Grant Smith described the death of Private Will Chapman. Speaking at the city’s Armistice Day service on November 11, Smith shared the story of Chapman, a photo of whom is on the Manawatu¯ Heritage website.
Chapman served on the Western Front as a driver in the NZ 1st Field Artillery.
Shortly after the armistice, Chapman was hospitalised with the Spanish flu in northern France, where he died from the virus on November 27, 1918.
“Coming through all of World War I yet dying of the pandemic illness was cruel,” Smith said.
This year’s commemoration of the silencing of the guns was scaled back due to the latest pandemic and moved indoors to the Conference & Function Centre.
Smith thanked the servicemen and women of New Zealand for defending our way of life, for being on call in times of civil emergency, for their work on the Covid frontline at MIQ, and for being such an important part of the Palmerston North community.
Among the wreath layers was Jack Stock, who laid a wreath on behalf of the Royal New Zealand Navy and the Royal New Zealand Naval Association. The 13-year-old was wearing his father’s medals. Matt Stock spent 20 years in the navy.
On November 11, the world breathed a sigh of relief after four years of ruthless war yet still she cried for years afterward. Leo Mwape, Palmerston North RSA Youth Speech Competition winner
He died last year of a pulmonary embolism.
Matt’s widow Denice was also at the service. She said Jack, who attends Palmerston North Boys’ High School, is an experienced wreath layer. He was a navy baby, being born just before Matt left the navy.
This year’s winner of the Palmerston North RSA Youth Speech Competition, Leo Mwape, read his winning speech. Eight students entered the competition with Lily Tavendale second and Matt Feehan third. Leo attends Boys’ High while Lily and Matt are at Freyberg High School.
“On November 11, the world breathed a sigh of relief after four years of ruthless war yet still she cried for years afterward,” Leo said. “She cried for the tears of the mother greeted only by a breath of cold air when those hatches opened, bringing home only the memory of her fallen son, for the tears of the father for once unable to protect his child.”
Leo said Armistice Day was a day of unison and confiding in our country because we all carry the stories of the Great War with us.
“Many of us have family who served for the love of this country for whom we remember in speech and in gathering, kindling the fire at the core of our nation.”
Competition convener Joe Hollander said the competition was to increase awareness of military history among youth and select speakers for Armistice and Anzac services. In the service address, Group Captain Catherine MacGowan said as we face the challenges of 2021 we need to be grateful for the peace New Zealand has and those who commit themselves to defend peace.
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Six streets join elite poppy brigade
Manawatu Guardian 25 November 2021
NZ’s military history recognised with symbol of courage
Warrant Officer Raymond Kareko, with Armistice Day MC Joe Hollander and interpreter Sarah Billing.
Six more Linton Camp streets are now poppy places, acknowledging war and military service associations.
The streets revealed at this year’s Palmerston North Armistice Day commemoration are Alamein Grove, Canea Pl, Horseshoe Pl, Inglis Way, Jervois Rd and Kippenberg Drive.
El Alamein, a town in Egypt, was the scene of a decisive World War II battle during the North African campaign, while Canea, a city in Crete, is where the battle for the island occurred in 1941. It was during this battle Kiwi Charles Upham earned his first Victoria Cross.
Horseshoe Pl is named in honour of 161 Battery Royal Regiment of New Zealand Artillery who deployed to the Horseshoe fire support base in Vietnam in 1967.
Major General Lindsay Merritt Inglis was a senior officer of the Second NZ Expeditionary Force in World War I and in 1916 he received the Military Cross. He also served in World War II.
Lieutenant General Sir William Jervois was a British military engineer and Governor of New Zealand from 1883 to 1889.
Major General Sir Howard Karl Kippenberger was an officer of the New Zealand Military Forces who served in both world wars. He is considered New Zealand’s most popular military commander.
Warrant Officer Class One Raymond Kareko said the street
names symbolised New Zealand’s achievements as well as the pain and cost of its war participation.
Mayor Grant Smith said the poppy is our most distinctive symbol of courage and sacrifice.
Thirty-one Palmerston North streets and sites of significance have the poppy symbol.
Eleven Linton Camp poppy places were unveiled in 2019 and six last year. More Linton Camp sites will be
announced at the next two Armistice Day services, Smith said.
Poppy Places champion Steve Parsons challenged Palmerston North City Council to, wearing its
defence city hat, consider erecting memorial displays similar to the Memorial Park poppies at the main city entrances.
To discover all the poppy places across New Zealand visit poppyplaces.nz.
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Palmerston North RSA Veteran Clinic
Manawatu Guardian 9 December 2021
"A fall from a ladder when trying to clean your gutters is not a good option at any age."
This is part of the advice given to veterans by the RSA when completing a needs assessment, along with don't pretend to be a hero.
The Returned and Services Association's travelling veterans' clinic rolled into Palmerston North last Thursday. During the day session about 40 people were helped and there was still a 90-minute evening session to go when the Manawatū Guardian visited.
Five district support managers updated clinic attendees on what is available through Veterans' Affairs, helped fill in forms, and provided advice including how to access poppy funds.
The roadshow had already been in Waitara, New Plymouth and Whanganui last week and next week will be in Wellington. By April they will have pretty much covered the whole country.
Hawke's Bay district support manager Janet Castell says the RSA is refocusing on support and redeveloping support networks for retired and serving veterans and their families.
Local support advisers are being trained and will be attached to each RSA.
Castell, a retired lieutenant colonel, and senior support adviser Rod Todman from RSA national office are the principal trainers on support matters, building up capacity nationwide so each RSA has a trained support adviser.
The RSA spends thousands of hours doing support work and wants it to be recognised by the Government, Castell says.
There are two veterans support schemes - one for those who served before accident compensation started on April 1, 1974, and one for those who served afterwards.
Support managers and advisers can represent veterans at appointments and help with reviews and appeals of Veterans Affairs' decisions.
Since the Vietnam War, 31,000 contemporary veterans have been created - all have done qualifying operational service, Castell says.
She spent 28 years in the army and served in Bougainville. Castell is described by the RSA as a pioneering female leader and a true trailblazer. She joined the army in the mid-1970s and took a place on the first commissioning course that accepted women as officer cadets to train alongside men in pursuit of a commission in the regular force.
On her retirement, Castell was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
Her next goal is to be elected RSA national vice-president. Castell says the RSA focuses on support, remembrance, and advocacy, all of which can be achieved without having a building.
It is a strong voice for servicepeople and veterans to the Minister of Defence and Minister for Veterans.
Castell is the district support manager for Hawke's Bay, Wairarapa and East Coast - she lives in Waipukurau. Gavin Smith, who lives in Marton, is the Central district support manager which includes Manawatū.
RSA district support manager Gavin Smith can be contacted on 021 149 7566 or dsm.central@rsa.org.nz.
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From Palmerston North City Council
10 August 2020
City to mark 75 years since end of World War 2
Palmerston North will mark the 75th anniversary of the end of World War 2 on 15 August, with a service at the Cenotaph in The Square.
The end of World War 2, on 15 August 1945, followed the United States dropping atomic bombs on the Japanese cities on Hiroshima (6 August) and Nagasaki (9 August). Fighting in Europe had ended in May 1945, but the Allies were still fighting in the Pacific.
Mayor Grant Smith says the 75th anniversary of the end of World War 2 is an opportunity for everyone to consider the sacrifices made on both sides of the war and what those sacrifices mean towards the lives forged by successive generations. These occasions are especially important to Palmerston North because of its close New Zealand Defence Force relationships with Linton Military Camp and the RNZAF Base Ohakea.
“We saw during COVID-19 lockdown, that the respect for our soldiers meant we would mark ANZAC Day come what may. We might not have been able to gather, but we stood at dawn in our neighbourhoods listening as Laments rang out from pipes, bugles and speakers. It is important to New Zealanders to show solidarity with their military men and women, both commemorating history and supporting their efforts at home and around the world.”
The public is invited to the wreath-laying service and should gather at the Cenotaph.
The sound of bagpipes will mark the start of service at 10.45am, with dignitaries being piped on to the concourse at 10.55am by the Pipes and Drums of Palmerston North. At the Cenotaph, the New Zealand and Palmerston North city flags will be flying, and a Lament will be piped at 11am, following the ringing of the clocktower bells.
Wreaths will be laid one at a time by:
- New Zealand Army – Lieutenant Colonel Ed Craw, RNZAC (Commanding Officer of the Queen Alexandra’s Mounted Rifles Regiment at Linton Camp) on behalf of the Commander of the First New Zealand Brigade. He will be accompanied by the Brigade Command Sergeant Major, WO1 Raymond Kareko.
- Royal New Zealand Air Force – Base Commander Ohakea, Group Captain Shaun Sexton, RNZAF. Accompanied by Command Warrant Officer Guy Lipsham.
- Palmerston North Returned and Services Association Brigadier (Retired) Evan Torrance, who is PNRSA Welfare Trust Chair and Manawatū Officer’s Club Patron. Accompanied by Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Joe Hollander, RNZE (PNRSA Vice-President).
- Palmerston North Deputy Mayor Tangi Utikere and Wiremu Te Awe Awe from Rangitāne.
The Ode will then be recited in Te Reo (by Wiremu Te Awe Awe) and English, (by Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Joe Hollander, RNZE), that acknowledges the sacrifice of soldiers on both sides of the war.
LTCOL Ed Craw says being part of our local community’s commemoration of the service and sacrifice of the thousands of men and women who served is always a humbling experience. It will be particularly so this year as we mark the 75th anniversary of the end of both the War in the Pacific and World War II.
“Local commemorations, such as the one here in Palmerston North, not only allow us all to reflect on those sacrifices of the country, but more specifically about those made by the local community, by their local service men and women,” Craw says.
Service organiser Hollander says VJ Day was important for New Zealand because it was the fight for our Pacific back yard. The victory brought relief to a nation disrupted by five years’ of war.
“Now 75 years on, we reflect on the end of the Second World War, the home and overseas experiences and sacrifices made by New Zealanders who had only 20 years beforehand experienced the Great War, and the great relief to all communities throughout New Zealand and the world,” Hollander says.
Caption: Schools and businesses closed in Palmerston North to mark the end of World War 2 on 15 August 1945. A thanksgiving service was held that afternoon, followed by a victory parade the next day. The parade attracted a big turnout of civilians and Defence personnel, a flotilla of 130 vehicles, and was led by the Manawatu Scottish Society’s Highland Pipe Band. The parade was followed by community singalong. Photo: manawatuheritage.pncc.govt.nz
29 October, 2020
Armistice Day service commemorates sacrifice
Palmerston North will commemorate Armistice Day 2020 with a service at the Cenotaph in Te Marae o Hine – The Square.
On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, 1918, signing of an armistice between Germany and the Allies ended fighting in World War I. New Zealand marked the end to hostilities in a pandemic climate similar to what the world is facing today with COVID-19, the 1918 Influenza epidemic.
Service Master of Ceremonies Lieutenant Colonel (Rtd) Joe Hollander, RNZE, who is also chairman of the Palmerston North Anzac Armistice Day Organising Committee (PNAADOC), says on Armistice Day the country’s contribution towards the Allied efforts during World War I is acknowledged. “We commemorate the emergence of the ANZAC spirit and sacrifices made by those from Palmerston North, the wider Manawatū and New Zealand as a whole. More than 1000 soldiers from this area made the ultimate sacrifice,” Hollander says.
The New Zealand History website records that World War I claimed around 18,000 New Zealand lives (either in or because of the war) – a further 41,000 were wounded or became ill. There were more, as a result of New Zealanders fighting with other Allied forces. Of those killed, 2779 were at Gallipoli and 12,000 the Western Front. To put these figures in context, in 1914 the population of New Zealand was 1.1 million. The influenza pandemic killed a further 9000 New Zealanders between October and December 1918.
The gathering will be formally welcomed by Mayor Grant Smith and Wiremu Te Awe Awe, of Rangitāne. The Services Address will be given by Colonel Stefan Michie, DSD, Commander 1st (NZ) Brigade, Linton Camp.
The public is asked to gather at the Cenotaph from 10.45am. Veterans and serving personnel are asked to meet at the i-SITE for a short march to the Cenotaph. The clocktower bells will ring at the start and end of the service. The wet weather venue is the Elwood Room at the Palmerston North Conference and Function Centre.
The youth voice will be heard through a speech from Palmerston North Boys’ High School’s John Hopcroft. Usually, the winner of the annual Palmerston North RSA Youth Speech Competition speaks at Armistice, but this year’s contest was a casualty of COVID-19. The speech competition prompts the younger generation to think about the impact of war. Hopcroft was placed second in last year’s event. The full programme follows below.
Mayor Grant Smith says such commemorative occasions respect Palmerston North’s close New Zealand Defence relationships, with Linton Military Camp and RNZAF Base Ohakea in the region. In 1956, Palmerston North gave the Defence Force the keys to the city in recognition of their contribution to our region and our country. The 1956 Charters granted Linton Military Camp and the Royal NZ Air Force the right to parade in the city with bayonets fixed, colours flying, drums beating, and bands playing.
“It is important successive generations understand the sacrifices made towards the freedoms and lives we are able to live today,” Smith says.
“People will want to gather to mark Armistice Day, after ANZAC Day parades and services were affected during COVID-19 lockdown. ANZAC showed us how resilient we are towards acknowledging what is important to us. Now we have the freedom to gather, we can show our support to our military men and women, at home and around the world, by commemorating history and supporting the great work they do.”
Colonel Michie says this year the New Zealand Army is itself acknowledging 175 years of service, having been involved in various and multiple theatres of conflict around the world, including both World Wars, during that time.
“Marking the signing of the Armistice is an important event as we honour the service and sacrifice of all New Zealanders who served during the First World War. It’s also a time to recognise and acknowledge the courage of families of those who served during that turbulent time in our history.
“Our Military personnel continue to serve New Zealand in the community, the nation and across the world. The challenge of Covid-19, in particular, reminds us of the vital role the NZDF plays in protecting the nation.”
Poppy Places
Following the Armistice Day service, the Mayor will join New Zealand Poppy Places Trust chairman Colonel (Rtd) Terry McBeth, from Upper Hutt, and Commander, 1 (NZ) Brigade Colonel Stefan Michie at the Palmerton North Conference and Function Centre for the launch of the next six streets of significance signs, which are all at Linton Military Camp.
Poppy Places is a national street and site recognition project that commemorates those who have served overseas in the armed services or places with military importance. Street and place signs with military connections are embellished with a poppy symbol.
Last year, Palmerston North became the first city in New Zealand to complete its Poppy Places installations, a total of 31. Linton Camp last year received the first 11 of its Poppy Places signs. This year, Linton Camp will add poppies to six street signs. More poppies will be added to camp signs during 2021, 2022 and 2023. This year’s signs are:
42nd Street: Named for a street in Chania, Crete, where ANZAC units formed a rear guard to protect the rest of the Commonwealth forces that were being pushed south by the Germans.
Dieppe Place: Named after the Dieppe Raid, or Battle of Dieppe, where Allied troops invaded the German-occupied French port town on 19 August,1942. New Zealand forces were based in the Dieppe Barracks in Singapore, until 1989.
Gunners Lane: Named as a tribute to all gunners - Infantry Battalion and Mounted Rifles. 1NZ Machine Gun (known as Auckland Company), 2nd NZMG, (known as Canterbury Company), 3rd NZMG (known as Otago Company), 4th NZMG (known as Wellington Company). 1st NZMG SQN, 2nd NZMG SQN and NZMG Corps Reserve Depot.
Malacca Grove: Named for the Commonwealth Forces and New Zealand camp in Terendak, Malaya.
Soldiers Lane: In remembrance of all who have served as part of the New Zealand Defence Force.
Taiping Terrace: Named for the original Commonwealth Forces and New Zealand camp near the town of Ipoh, in Perak Province, northern Malaya.
Korean War presentation
On the evening of Wednesday 11 November, between 5.30pm and 7pm at the Globe Theatre, a talk will be held to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the start of the Korean War and New Zealand’s involvement in the conflict. Presented by Dr Ian McGibbon, ONZM (ex-Chief Historian, Ministry of Culture and Heritage), it will consider the origins and course of the war and his reflections of his visit to the Demilitarized Zone in 2019.
Armistice Day parade and service programme
10.45am – Assembly and march-on
11am – Service and introduction
Opening by the Master of Ceremonies, Lieutenant Colonel (Rtd) Joe Hollander, RNZE (PNRSA).
Formal welcome
Wiremu Te Awe Awe, Rangitāne
His Worship The Mayor, Grant Smith, Palmerston North City Council.
The Lesson
New Zealand Defence Force Chaplain CL3 Janie McPhee.
Services address
Colonel Stefan Michie, DSD, Commander, 1st (NZ) Brigade, Linton Camp.
Youth address
John Hopcroft. (Palmerston North Boys’ High School).
Prayer for the Fallen
New Zealand Defence Force Chaplain CL3 Janie McPhee
Laying of wreaths
The Lament
Jim Farley, Pipes and Drums of Palmerston North.
The Ode
Private Hana Wainohu, RNZALR, 2nd Engineer Regiment, Linton Camp and Wing Commander Peter Hurly, RNZAF (PNRSA).
Last Post
Bugler - Corporal Tim Cook, New Zealand Army Band Reserve.
One-minute silence
Reveille
Bugler - Corporal Tim Cook, New Zealand Army Band Reserve.
New Zealand National Anthem
Supported by Unity Singers Choir
Closure of service
Lieutenant Colonel (Rtd) Joe Hollander, RNZE (PNRSA).
12noon – NZ Poppy Places Trust Launch
Palmerston North Conference and Function Centre
354 Main Street, Palmerston North
Caption: Part of the 'Final Battle Campaign for Sick and Wounded Soldiers' fundraising procession outside the Soldier's Club, which was built at the corner of Cuba and George Streets by the Patriotic Society in 1917, later known as Returned Servicemen Association building. The Patriotic Society was created in 1916, during World War One, for fundraising and welfare purposes. This fundraiser ran for three to four weeks from February 1918, raising £20,000 (20 thousand pounds).