Vietnam veteran Desmond Omundsen speaks at Gisborne’s Combined Services Day

Gisborne RSA vice-president Wendy Cossgrove thanks Combined Services Day guest speaker and Vietnam War veteran Desmond Omundsen after his address at the RSA on Sunday. Photo / Wynsley Wrigley

Panels at the Auckland War Museum name all New Zealand military personnel killed while serving their country.

Other panels installed for the same purpose are blank, Combined Services Day guest speaker Desmond Omundsen said at a commemorative parade and wreath-laying service held outside the Gisborne RSA at 11am on Sunday.

“Let’s hope those empty panels at the Auckland War Museum remain empty and never get filled,” said Omundsen.

Gisborne RSA executive management board member Paul Bayly said he was pleased with the diversity of those who took part in the service.

Combined Services Day not only honoured those who’ve served with the Army, Navy and Air Force, but also emergency personnel such as police officers and New Zealand Fire and Emergency and Hato Hone St John responders.

“I’ve never seen such a divergent attendance,” said Bayly.

He was pleased with the turnout, which is held on the nearest Sunday to Armistice Day annually.

Omundsen served two tours of duty in Vietnam.

He originally served as part of an “engineering team” which went to Vietnam before 161 Field Battery of Royal New Zealand Artillery began combat operations.

Omundsen returned later to Vietnam to serve as an engineer with the United States Air Force.

He had originally become a regular force cadet in 1960, aged 17.

Omundsen spoke about his many family members who have served in uniform.

His father’s two older brothers and his maternal grandfather served in World War I while his father served in World War II.

Omundsen’s uncle – his namesake – was a gunner in a Wellington bomber which was shot down over Tobruk in 1942.

After leaving hospital, he spent the remainder of the war as a prisoner of war.

Omundsen said 100,000 New Zealanders served in World War I, which was about 10% of the population at the time.

About 5% of the soldiers were killed.

Other losses since World War I include 11,671 killed in World War II, 46 killed in Korea, 22 killed in Malaya and Borneo and 37 in Vietnam.

“Today we remember all of our service personnel, those who paid the ultimate price, our veterans served, those who have passed on, those who are serving now, and those committing to serve in the future.”

-This article has been updated to correct Wendy Cossgrove’s name in the caption.