Ex-chief of defence to speak at launch

Air Marshal Sir Bruce Ferguson will be speaking at the launch of Tauranga's World War I exhibition on Thursday.

It is a "huge honour" for Air Marshal Sir Bruce Ferguson to be asked to speak at Tauranga's World War I exhibition.

Sir Bruce is the former chief of the New Zealand Defence Force, former director of the Government Communications Security Bureau and was director of the Security Intelligence Service.

He lived in Tauranga from 1958, attending Merivale School, Tauranga Intermediate and Tauranga Boys' College before joining the military in 1969, aged 18.

On Thursday, Sir Bruce will be guest speaker at the launch of Tauranga's World War I exhibition, which opens to the public on Anzac Day.

"It's an honour to have been asked to speak."

Instead of focusing on Gallipoli, Sir Bruce said he would be speaking about the return of the unnamed warrior to New Zealand from France in 2004, which he was a big part of as chief of the defence force.

"Former Prime Minister Helen Clark put me in charge of that, going to France and bringing him back to be interred in the tomb in Wellington," he said.

"It was very emotional and moving. It was probably the most emotional thing I've been involved in, in my 38 years of service."

Sir Bruce was involved in every aspect of bringing the soldier back to New Zealand, from the ceremonies as he was dug out of the ground to when he was laid to rest on November 10, 2004.

"I'm hoping it will be interesting to those at the exhibition. I could have spoken about Gallipoli, but everyone knows all about it so I thought I would do something different."

Sir Bruce gave the formal address at the 90th Gallipoli commemorations at the dawn service at Anzac Cove in 2005, in front of Helen Clark, the Australian Prime Minister and Prince Charles.

His father was a returned serviceman and ex-prisoner of war in World War II.

"Anzac Day is a commemoration, not just of Gallipoli, but everything else beyond that.

"It's about mateship, friendship. Having been in the military for so many years, you have a unique perception of what it means to serve and the sacrifice of our men and women serving overseas."

In the 1960s and 1970s, Sir Bruce said Anzac services were usually only attended by veterans and had a sombre and quiet atmosphere.

"Now there are more people than ever in my memory going to Anzac Days. These days, it's amazing how spontaneous the crowd is."