Service stirs up plenty of memories for Tauranga World War II veterans

Doug Anderson who turns 100 in less than four months attended Tauranga's Anzac Day Civic Service in Memorial Park. Photo/Andrew Warner

Age is no barrier when it comes to remembering fallen comrades for two Tauranga World War II veterans who notch up their 100th birthdays this year.

Trevor Blaker received the Queen's telegram last month, pipping Doug Anderson who turns 100 on August 2.

The two men were among the estimated crowd of 1200 people who stood in the sun at Tauranga's Anzac Day Civic Service at the cenotaph in Memorial Park.

Mr Blaker, who remembers two old English soldiers who fought at the Battle of Gate Pa in 1864, fought with the 20th New Zealand Infantry Battalion in 1942.

Born in Greerton, his war lasted until 1942 when he was captured by Germans during the Battle of El Alamein and spent the next three years as a prisoner of war.

''It brings back a lot of memories,'' he said after the conclusion of the service. ''I lost a lot of good friends.''

He said it was an absolute miracle that he survived the war. It included a stint in a German hospital from injuries sustained at El Alamein.

Mr Blaker took part in the night bayonet charge in the epic escape from encircling Germans at Minqar Qaim near Egypt's border with Libya. In June 1942 the New Zealand Division was within hours of destruction by vastly superior enemy forces, with the division escaping its fate by the famous ''breakout''.

He reckons he still has a couple more Anzac Day services in him before he finally calls it a day.

''I still play indoor bowls and cards for the Tauranga Senior Citizens Club. I've been doing that since 1945.''

Mr Anderson said the service brought back memories, some pleasant and some unpleasant. He served as an engineer with the 18th Army Troop Company throughout the North African and Italian campaigns and spasmodically found himself in the thick of it when bullets were flying.

''A small group of five of us were sent here and there on various jobs.''

It included going behind enemy lines to leave canvas bags full of water in sandhills when the infantry broke through. However, he did not reach the objective when his boat used in the outflanking manoeuvre sprang a leak.

He became an expert bridge builder in the push up through Italy, with more bullets ''whizzing around''.

Mr Anderson also did quite a bit of jeep driving, picking up wounded under fire from the Germans.

He shifted to Tauranga in 1957 and currently lived in Judea. He was deputy head of Tauranga Primary School for 20 years and built the bell tower from recycled kauri taken from the original school building.