Anzac Day: Levin bugle player Wayne Kaye keeps up long family tradition

Levin RSA president Wayne Kaye.

Levin Returned Services Association president Wayne Kaye continued a long family tradition when performing The Last Post at the Anzac memorial service in Levin on Sunday.

Kaye blew the same bugle used by his late father Vince Kaye, who also served as Levin RSA president and was called on to recite The Last Post on Anzac Day for many years.

Corporal Vince Kaye himself inherited the bugle playing ability from his father Arnold Kaye, who was conductor for the Lower Hutt Municipal Brass Band.

Levin RSA president Wayne Kaye.

Wayne Kaye said his father served four years abroad in the infantry with the New Zealand Armed Forces in World War II. His duties as a bugle player then were called on every day.

"He got them up in the morning and put them to bed at night," he said.

Not surprisingly, Vince Kaye had three brothers who were also apt at playing the bugle, too. The five played together when chance allowed.

There was a large crowd at the Levin Anzac Day memorial service at Levin last Sunday.

Wayne Kaye said from a young age his father had taught them all to play, first with a cornet, then a trumpet.

He had played ever since and said it was an honour to perform The Last Post at Anzac memorial services.

Kaye, who himself had been RSA president for the last five years, said there were services throughout the district on the day, ending at Avenue Cemetery as the sun went down.

He was heartened by what he said was the largest crowd he had seen at the Levin Cenotaph for an Anzac Day memorial service at dawn.

The parade on its way back to the Levin RSA.

People met at Levin RSA and marched down Oxford St towards the Cenotaph on Cambridge St. Main street traffic was diverted.

"It was a grand sight and wonderful turnout of both young and old. It was quite touching really to be involved to be involved in the morning, well, the whole day really," he said.

"It's nice to see the young ones involved."

There were services held throughout Horowhenua, at Foxton, Ōtaki, Shannon, Manakau, Waitarere Beach and Tokomaru.

There were many groups involved in each service, like service academy students from local colleges at the Levin dawn service.

St Mary's Scout Group had 21 members sleep over at a local hall in preparation for the big day. They had fish and chips for tea and a warm Milo and Anzac biscuits.

They were all in bed by 9pm and were up by 4.15am. They cleaned the hall, brushed their teeth and made their way to the RSA.

They joined the march to the Cenotaph under instruction from members of the army that were there.

St Mary's Scouts form a gurad of honour at a retreat service on Anzac Day in Levin.

Scout leader Barry Fitzgerald said the group also attended two retreat services in the afternoon, the first at 4.45pm at the Avenue cemetery, completing a guard of honour at both retreat services.

"It was a great experience for some members as they get to hear and see the bagpipes playing right in front of their eyes," he said.