Tolaga Bay Anzac service honours centenary with poignant poem

Padre Bill Gray speaks during the Anzac Day dawn service at Tolaga Bay. Photo / Wynsley Wrigley

Rightly so we wear a poppy for the Great War.

But are wars really great.

When the result is always death, destruction, dispossession and despair.

For whatever glory gained is but short-lived and young souls return old beyond their years,

witness to the carnage and horror that we bring upon ourselves.

And we vow that this should never happen again.

Pause, repeat.

Tolaga Bay Anzac Day dawn service Dr Wayne Ngata said he wanted to do something different before delivering his original and poignant poem, of which the above is an excerpt.

The result of war is always death, destruction, dispossession and despair, says guest speaker Dr Wayne Ngata at Tolaga Bay's Anzac Day dawn service.

He was speaking to one of the largest crowds a Tolaga Bay dawn service had seen in years.

The community turned out in force to commemorate the centenary of the opening of the township’s iconic Memorial Gates, which honour 22 fallen soldiers of World War I and about another 48 who fell in World War II.

The service also featured the Battle flag of the 28th Battalion and the Tolaga Bay RSA Flag, recently recovered after going missing in 1968.

After the service, the flag was taken through the Tolaga Bay Soldiers Cemetery before being officially retired to safekeeping at Tolaga Bay Area School.

The Battle Flag of the 28th Battalion is flown during the Tolaga Bay dawn service.

One of the organisers, Padre Bill Gray, told the Gisborne Herald the Tolaga Bay community had come together with a sense of duty, and to acknowledge the courage of men and women who gave their very all to serve the community.

They were aware of the significance of the flag and “are ready to bring it back home”.

A unique part of the service was when Dennis Marsh sang The Bridge as service, military and marae representatives presented wreaths.

Some members of the public joined in and sang the popular te reo song with Marsh.

Marsh and another music legend, Brendan Dugan, were due to perform at a music showcase at Te Rawheoro Marae later in the day.

Marsh said he was honoured to be asked to participate as he had relatives who had served in the forces.

Among those attending was Jason Devery. He proudly held a portrait of his grandfather and 28th Battalion serviceman Erena Te Okore Maurirere.

Devery said the portrait was a prized family taonga. Maurirere survived the war.

Jason Devery proudly shows a portrait of his grandfather and 28th Battalion serviceman Erena Te Okore Maurirere after the dawn service at Tolaga Bay. Photo / Wynsley Wrigley