Merepeka Raukawa-Tait: Time to consider a day to honour all who have served

Defence forces in formation at Auckland War Memorial Museum at an Anzac dawn service. Photo / Greg Bowker

Opinion

I had the opportunity last week to speak to a number of former servicemen and veterans who served in the Royal New Zealand Army in Malaya, Vietnam, Borneo and Korea.

They turn out every year at Anzac parades around the country to honour those who fought in World War I and World War II.

It is now their numbers that make up the parades. World War II ended in September 1945, 78 years ago, so the numbers of returned servicemen and servicewomen from that war are now a treasured rarity.

At Anzac services, we are also asked to remember all New Zealand veterans, men and women, who have served in other parts of the world, in other wars, on behalf of their country.

Yet Anzac Day is still very much about remembering those who fought and died at Gallipoli in World War I.

We remember them and their sacrifice. And that’s as it should be.

So when the president of the New Zealand Returned and Services’ Association (NZRSA), Sir Wayne “Buck” Shelford recently called for a day of remembrance for all those who had served, and those who serve today, I thought the idea must be something new.

I understand it is not.

I was told the idea has been around for a long time but was never progressed.

Shelford told the NZ Herald the NZRSA will push for a second national day of remembrance for the brave men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice for Aotearoa.

“We have a huge turnout on Anzac Day, but seem to disappear for the 364 other days of the year. We are trying to have another day for us …”

It is clear to me those who served in our combined forces around the world, since World War II, wanted their service recognised too.

But not at the expense of the day set aside that remembers and honours the Anzacs.

Here I need to disclose that two of my brothers-in-law, and many extended family members, saw service in the countries mentioned above.

We often talked about the RSAs. They told me they believed some RSAs were only ever interested in those who fought in World War I and World War II – the “real soldiers” – and that they never felt overly welcome in some RSA clubs.

They also found our Government’s welcome home, after they served overseas, was at best lukewarm.

And don’t get any of the Vietnam veterans talking about their homecoming. This is red flag territory.

They don’t hold back. Just because the tide of public sentiment and support turned against the Vietnam War, if it was ever there to start with, doesn’t mean our Government should have shunned the soldiers it sent there to fight, on their return.

This wounded them deeply.

Sir Buck is asking for a day of remembrance for all those who served in the armed forces since the end of World War I. If you have served, you are a veteran. He is not asking for a public holiday, just one day a year to remember.

He hopes that day could be November 11, Armistice Day. That day in 1918 brought to an end the fighting on land, sea and air of World War I.

This was the original date intended for Anzac Day. In some commonwealth countries, November 11 is known as Remembrance Day. In the United States, it’s called Veterans Day.

This is what Sir Buck would like to see it renamed as in New Zealand.

From the veterans I spoke to, not one objected to November 11 being named Veterans Day.

To commemorate the service of all New Zealanders who served in the combined forces on behalf of their country. Surely an idea whose time has come.

- Merepeka Raukawa-Tait has worked in the private, public and non-profit sectors. Today she writes, broadcasts and is a regular social issues commentator on TV. Of Te Arawa, Merepeka believes fearless advocacy for equity and equality has the potential to change lives.