ROGER MORONEY
When two former seafarers got together to invite a representative of the Royal New Zealand Air Force to speak at an Anzac Day service in Crownthorpe, they decided to start at the top.
As things turned out, it was a very good place to start. A letter, penned by Napier's Don Pye, who is area representative of the Merchant Navy Association, and endorsed by parish priest Father Bill Chapman (former Royal New Zealand Navy), was sent to Air Vice Marshall Graham Lintott - the chief of the RNZAF.
The letter struck a chord with Air Vice Marshall Lintott, as it outlined the uniqueness of the Memorial Chapel of St George at Crownthorpe.
Since Rev Chapman, better known as "Father Bill", moved to Crownthorpe five years ago he has re-activated the observance of Anzac Day at the chapel.
On Anzac Day, 2003, he consecrated and installed the Red Ensign of the New Zealand Merchant Navy, and last year the White Ensign of the Royal New Zealand Navy was consecrated and also "laid up" in the chapel.
This year, after approaches by Father Bill, a Royal New Zealand Air Force ensign was donated to the chapel by a Lower Hutt woman whose late father had served with the RNZAF.
The chapel itself was built by James Coleman of Crownthorpe, the grandfather of Squadron leader Lloyd Watt Coleman, DFC and Bar, who was killed in WW2 and is buried in Europe.
James Coleman's son, second lieutenant Herbert Coleman, had been killed in WW1.
Accordingly, the link with the armed services is strong at the chapel, and had been strengthened by the efforts of people like Rev Chapman and Mr Pye.
Both were delighted that a member of the defence services of the stature of Air Vice Marshall Lintott had chosen to attend a small rural chapel on such a nationally iconic day. "You can only try," was Mr Pye's philosophy in approaching the top man in the RNZAF.
"We are absolutely delighted he is coming."
Air Vice Marshall Lintott will address the 10am service and lay the wreath, after earlier attending the Dawn Parade Service in Napier, where he said he wanted to march in with the veterans and members of the community representing veterans.
WW2 veteran fighter pilot Max Collett will carry the ensign into tomorrow's service, accompanied by two cadets from the Napier Air Training Corps.
Plans are already in place to complete the fourth arm of the services at the chapel in 2008 with the consecration and laying up of the New Zealand Army ensign.
Anzac services in Napier and Hastings will also be unique. The Hastings Dawn Parade Service is to feature live as part of TV1's Anzac Day coverage, while the Napier service will feature speakers drawn from pupils representing local secondary schools .
* Napier: Dawn Parade Service, Marine Parade. Marchers fall-in outside old Courthouse at 5.50am. The service, featuring speakers from secondary schools, begins 6am.
Civic Service at Memorial Square cenotaph, 11am. Taradale Dawn Service at Lone Pine, Puketapu Road, 6am. Civic Service at 9.45am, at Taradale Memorial Clock Tower.
* Hastings: Dawn Parade Service, fall in at 5.15am, Karamu Road outside War Memorial for march to cenotaph (near the library). The service will be telecast live on TV1. Service at Hawke's Bay Hospital soldier's memorial chapel at 10am. * Havelock North: Civic Service at 10am at the cenotaph, in village centre. * Clive/Haumoana: 9am - fall in at Haumoana Memorial Hall. * Maraekakaho: 9am at Maraekakaho Hall. * Takapau: 10am Civic Service at the cenotaph in Charlotte Street. * Waipukurau: Dawn Service at 6am at War Memorial. Marchers fall-in at RSA at 5.45am. * Waipawa: Public service at Waipawa clocktower at 10am. * Wairoa: 6am Dawn Service at Kaiuku Marae, followed by 9am service at Taihoa Marae, then visit to soldiers' burial plots at cemetery. Civic Service at Wairoa War Memorial Hall, 11.15am. Weather: The MetService forecast for Hawke's Bay tomorrow is for mainly fine weather with light winds.
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