Reporters out in the field attend Anzac Day dawn services in Tauranga and Mount Maunganui.
Live stream below of Anzac Day commemorations around the country via Maori TV
Tauranga RSA
Reporters out in the field attend Anzac Day dawn services in Tauranga and Mount Maunganui.
Live stream below of Anzac Day commemorations around the country via Maori TV
Tauranga RSA
An air hushed expectancy prevailed among the very large crowd that gathered in front of Tauranga RSA cenotaph in Greerton waiting for ceremonies to commemorate the ultimate sacrifice made by thousands of New Zealand service men.
The sea of heads with a smattering of children on shoulders could be seen behind the seats reserved for veterans and guests too frail to stand for the duration of the service that coincided with the first fingers of dawn lightening the sky.
Numbers were estimated to be at least double previous years with thousands adding an even greater emotional dimension to the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings.
Mount Maunganui Dawn Service
This year was the first year the Mount Maunganui cenotaph was bathed in red light, highlighting the colour of the poppy.
UPDATE: 9.24am: More than 10,000 surrounded the Mount Maunganui War Memorial Cenotaph this morning to pay their respects to the fallen of Gallipoli.
The crowds stretched in either direction, lining the roadside, Mount Drury, the beach and the grass dunes.
Traffic was reportedly backed up for kilometres before the service as people made their way to the service.
Although there were thousands of people in one small area, the crowd was hushed from the moment veterans, servicemen, emergency services, cadets and Scout groups marched to their places.
Mount Maunganui College student Stella Affleck's beautiful rendition of the Australian and New Zealand national anthems had the audience singing along, before a prayer by Mount Maunganui RSA Reverend Marie Gilpin.
Mount Maunganui RSA president Carol Cook spoke at the service, reminding the crowd of the sacrifices made by the soldiers who fought in World War I and other wars since.
At the end of the service, as Mrs Cook recited the Ode of Remembrance, two Harvard bombers flew over the cenotaph, timed as the crowd recited the last line, "we will remember them".
Today's Mount Maunganui dawn service was the best Alex Gardner has been to - and he was at Gallipoli last year.
Mr Gardner, 26, is a former soldier in the Australian Army and recently moved to Papamoa with his Kiwi wife.
He attended the Mount Maunganui service this morning for the first time and said it was "quite moving and really respectful".
Mr Gardner was also impressed that the service included both the Australian and New Zealand national anthems - the services he attended in Australia only played the Australian anthem.
"Last year I went to the Gallipoli service. It was very interesting but I enjoyed this one more, to be honest. It just has a great atmosphere."
UPDATE 6:35am: Service has just ended.
Members of the public are coming in and laying wreaths and poppies on the cenotaph.
Now the Mount Maunganui RSA president Carol Cook read out The Ode to the fallen.
Two Harvard bomber planes flew over the cenotaph as the crowd uttered, "We will remember them."
UPDATE: The sky is starting to lighten.
Crowds are stretched out in every direction, they're standing all over the road, mt Drury and along the edge of the beach.
Service is about to start.
EARLIER: It's 5.20am and thousands of people are already crowded around the cenotaph and lining Mt Drury.
Some people have bought blankets and are sitting on the ground. Others are all rugged up in their warm clothes.
Thomas Te Kani said he immediately dropped to the ground to cover his brother.