Whangamatā – A Day of Remembrance for Young and Old
By Jack Biddle
An estimated roll up of well over 1,000 people braved a crisp morning on the shores of Whangamata Beach to both attend, and to take part, in the ANZAC sunrise commemoration service. It was a fitting way to begin a day set down to honour those who gave their all and the many others who gave the ultimate sacrifice on the Gallipoli Peninsula during World War One. In addition, those who served in subsequent wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations around the world., were recognised. The sunrise service was soon followed by another well attended and watched, main street Civic Parade led by the Bay of Plenty Pipes and Drums, with speeches inside the War Memorial Hall, followed by the final act of laying wreaths and poppies, lowering of the flag, reciting of the ODE in both English and Maori, and the playing of the Last Post.
During his welcoming speech at the War Memorial Hall Whangamata, RSA President, Geoff March, paid special recognition to all veterans, peacekeepers and observers along with current and past serving defence and police personnel. He also paid special recognition to the much-needed and deeply appreciated uniformed services within the local community including the NZ Fire Service, Order of St Johns, Coastguard, Surf Life Saving and NZ Scouts. The many volunteers and members of the RSA were also given a special mention for their tireless and ongoing work as were the residents of Moana House who made the majority of the wreaths laid.
This year’s Anzac Commemorative service marked 111 years on from when Australian and New Zealand soldiers first landed on the shores of Gallipoli but it seems there is an ever-increasing number of people wanting to honour the sacrifices and bravery of men and women many of whom they knew little about.
This was highlighted by both Mr March and guest speaker, The Honourable Scott Simpson after listening to the speeches by Whangamata Area School Head Boy, Harrison Biddle and Head Girl, Sage Dunn, both of whom were also flag bearers during the days service.
In their speeches Harrison and Sage commented on Anzac Day being not just about remembering names, but remembering lives, and reflecting on the deep sacrifices made by so many New Zealand and Australian soldiers both on the battle fields and also on the home front. Both spoke of personal family connections where World War II had suddenly taken away the dreams and aspirations of young people, of a similar age to themselves now, and turned their lives into total uncertainty with many good years lost.
To both, ANZAC Day was about taking the time to acknowledge the sacrifices made and that we are truly blessed and thankful that a past generation gave up their present so that future generations could have a better future.
If anything summed up the Anzac Day commemorations in Whangamata, it was both the older and younger generations coming together in remembrance and paying tribute to those who fought so hard and to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice to provide both Australian and New Zealanders with a much brighter future.
The values of the Anzac spirit were well and truly on display.
Anzac Day in Whitianga and Thames
From Hon Scott Simpson, MP for Coromandel
Anzac Day is a time to reflect on the sacrifices that have been made by our Defence Force throughout our country’s history, as well as acknowledging the service of that is being given by current service personnel.
Every person and every town has their own connection to Anzac Day, and it’s become a sacred tradition for many people to attend a local dawn or civic service and share their story. I was at the services in Waihi and Whangamata to pay my respects to the fallen and to commemorate all those who have served in our country’s Defence Force.
This year’s Anzac Day services took on added significance, because it was the first commemoration to formally recognise all those who have served New Zealand in times of war. The legislation that gives effect to Anzac Day hadn’t been updated since 1966, and it specified that service personnel from six conflicts, ranging from the South African War to the Vietnam War, were to be acknowledged. This also included those who have given their lives in service of New Zealand at any time.
The Anzac Day Amendment Act was passed by Parliament earlier this year and this piece of legislation broadens the meaning of Anzac Day and makes it more inclusive by officially covering other conflicts and persons who have served New Zealand in times of war or in warlike conflicts in the past and in the future.
Hahei Kotare Reserve
By Maggie Beattie
ANZAC Day Commemoration in Hahei was held at the Kotare Reserve. A memorial and flagpole was completed and built last year to acknowledge the terrible toll that wars have on communities and to recognise those that have died in the service of their country from Hahei and surrounding areas.
In 2026 the Kotare Reserve Garden Trust Committee replanted around the Kotare Memorial Garden which provided a beautiful garden and a place of serenity and ecological health to all who attended ANZAC Day this year.
We wanted to focus this year on encouraging younger adults and especially our youth to participate in the Commemoration. We had a number of young guest speakers this year:
• Katey Donovan read a poem by Stewart Elliot called “Why’s Grandad Cranky all the Time”
• Thea Dozell is a Year 7 student at Whenuakite School and she researched and wrote her own poem called “A Teenage Lament” I have enclosed Thea’s poem is featured here in The Informer. She has copyright to the poem (a clever young girl) Thea and her parents consented to have it printed.
• Valerie Drewitt-Fisher made a presentation on what ANZAC Day meant to her.
• Ana Van Beynen led the Ode in Te Reo and Valerie in English.
• At the conclusion of the Commemoration, a number of students from Whenuakite School sang a Waiata.
• As a finale two field guns were fired.
Attendees were in excess of 300 this year and we ran out of programmes.
Maggie Beattie, is Hahei Residents and Ratepayers Association, ANZAC Day organiser.
A Teenage Lament
By THEA DOZELL
Mail sent back, their owners unfound,
Blood seeps into broken ground.
Choking smoke snakes round barbed wire,
Bullets sing a ghastly choir.
Gas seeps into the roughly dug trenches,
Men lie unmoving on cold wooden benches.
Heads ring from the echoing screams,
Joy only shines in long-lost dreams.
For beside me scuttle rats of plague,
And youthful souls would happily trade
Their spirits for a crumb of good rich food.
The masses seethe, a solemn brood.
Eyes lie open unseeing,
Perhaps death would be more freeing.
Friends and comrades cut down where they stand,
Broken forms in foreign lands.
Satan’s laugh runs wild and cruel,
Soldiers shrink on cold hard gruel.
Best beloved, live long and free.
Remember them – and think of me.
Matarangi
Remarkable residents Anzac history – Tairua
By Pam Ferla
A reminder of war time challenges and tragedies affecting Tairua comes with an ANZAC display at Tairua Heritage Society Centre. Society committee member, Jan Collier, organised the display, which features memorabilia from her family collection. Her grandparents, Charles and Mary Beach, are part of the historical fabric of Tairua and operated Beaches Store and campground near Tairua Wharf from 1918 to the mid 1970’s.
The ANZAC displays include a collection of airgraphs sent to local families from the front, plus replies from families in Tairua. There are also poignant letters to and from war zones.
A moving display headed The Lost Boys acknowledges men with connections to Tairua who died during WW1 or WW2. Twenty-three-year-old Patrick Heath was the first local man killed in action in WW2. There is also J J McCarthy, son of a Tairua publican, who was an unarmed volunteer radio operator at Betio Island (part of the Republic of Kiribati) and was beheaded by Japanese towards the end of the war.
Other names on this board are – Colin Lowe (son of Percy and Jessic Lowe), and Charles and Samuel Savage (sons of Benjamin Savage and Janet Black), all killed in action.
There is also a display of Prisoner of War poems compiled by Tairua Heritage Society committee member, Jennie Healey. This is from her father, Private Ian Nicol’s collection. He was a POW at Staglag V111, E from 1941 to 1945.
Charles Beach fought in the first World War and was injured in 1917, losing his right arm and shoulder. Back in New Zealand, he was treated at Thames Hospital. But his mother could not travel to Thames from Tairua so had to wait till he came home. Their two sons Allan and Patrick, fought in WW2.
Jan Collier’s father, Bill Darrah, was one of the local residents in the Home Guard, after being sponsored from the army by his brother-in-law Allen, to look after the family farm. Bill is the local identity featured in a 1938 photograph on horseback overlooking Tairua’s Ocean Beach. This is on display at the centre.
Tairua Heritage Society opens Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 10am-2pm. It features permanent and pop-up displays. Recent displays included surfing, history of Tairua Country Club and growth of the town. The ANZAC display is available for viewing until 3 May.
The centre is fundraising for a permanent home. For more information check the website www.tairuaheritage.nz and Facebook.
Pauanui
The 2026 Pauanui ANZAC Dawn Service at dawn takes ones breath away. The scene is so dramatic looking out over the ocean. The people are gathered on the beach adjacent to the Pauanui Surf Lifesaving Club.
The solemnity is not diminished as people remember the terrible loss of life that occurred on a very different beach on the shores of Gallipoli over a hundred years ago. The fly over near the conclusion of the ceremony is a magnificent signing off for the Pauanui service and is shared by all gathered for outdoor Anzac commemorations across the Peninsula.
After the service a community breakfast was offered to the community at the Pauanui Club. Thanks to Paul Schrader Photography of Pauanui for his magnificent local photos.
Paeroa
Photos by Kathy Bland.Anzac started with a dawn service at 6:00 am up on Primrose Hill Cenotaph. The memorial monument to the fallen and those who served sits poignantly atop the hill overlooking Paeroa township. This is especially lit for Anzac Day RSA President of the RSA John Hallett led this service with Pastor Poul Anderson of the local Co-operating Parish. The gathering was also described as a ‘Service of Dedication’. The parade commander Danny Te Iri could be heard through the stillness of the dawn across much of the town, as was the music of the Kerepehi Brass Band.
This was followed by a street parade at 9:00 am and civic service at the Paeroa War Memorial Hall with large numbers of locals assembled. Long ago many young men left from Paeroa. and surrounding settlements to fight for their country in both world wars.
Thank you to Kathy Bland – photographer.
Coromandel Town
The laying of wreaths following the 10.00am Civic Service was contributed to in a significant way by the work of local artist and florist Elisabeth Carter of Coromandel Flowers who prepared quite a few of the wreaths as her gift to the memory and honouring of those who had paid the ultimate price for freedom. These were greatly appreciated by the many people gathered solemnly for the Anzac service.
Coromandel Flowers is a excellent and creative business working very hard and generously for the Coromandel community. Why not support Elisabeth and give a woman some joy this coming Mothers Day with a bouquet of flowers or even a colourful wreath. Elisabeth can help make your Mothers Day. Ph: 021 211 9556
