Dannevirke: Special Anzac Day delivery

Pat Mills, president of Dannevirke's Gallery of History, with the ceramic poppy donated to the museum by Alison Toledo, the author of Wearing the Poppy.

Dannevirke's Pat Mills didn't believe in coincidences, but that was before a large commemorative box arrived at the Gallery of History by courier just as she was reading the book Wearing the Poppy.

The book, by Alison Toledo of Waiuku, focuses on why New Zealanders wear red poppies on Anzac Day and is a moving story of the first Anzacs told through the experiences of one family.

Featuring in the book is her great, great uncle Jock McKenzie from Dannevirke, who signed up while in Auckland to serve in World War I.

"This handmade ceramic poppy is a wonderful tribute to Jock, and for Alison to purchase this and send it to our Gallery of History is amazing," Mrs Mills said.

"This will be a wonderful treasure to have and we'll put it on display every Anzac Day."

On Saturday, the poppy and a photo of Jock McKenzie will be on display at the Dannevirke Services and Citizens Club when RSA members gather.

The poppy was one of 888,246 made for the Blood Swept Lands and Seas of red installation at the Tower of London and when dismantled the poppies were sold, with six charities receiving money from the sales.

"I couldn't believe it when this arrived in a beautifully decorated box, just as I was reading Alison's book," Mrs Mills said.

Wearing the Poppy tells how the poppy has come to symbolise a lost generation and helps fill in the gaps for young New Zealanders trying to discover their own family history.

"Jock McKenzie was the late Roly McKenzie's uncle, so to have the poppy here means so much to us," Mrs Mills said. "Roly was a wonderful volunteer here at the Gallery."

Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red was dedicated to Commonwealth servicemen and women who lost their lives in World War I, and began in July with the placing of a single ceramic poppy in the moat of the Tower of London.

More than 5 million people are estimated to have visited the installation during the four months it was in place. The display was the idea of Paul Cummins, a ceramic artist, and Tom Piper, a set designer.