Palmerston North’s Remembrance Day ceremony is a chance to remember our veterans

Retired Lieutenant Colonel Joe Hollander is hoping for a good turnout on Saturday for Remembrance Day. Photo / Palmerston North City Council

This year, Remembrance Day is on a Saturday, which organisers hope will allow more people to attend the Palmerston North service.

Remembrance Day is commemorated every year on November 11 to mark the armistice signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany to end the fighting. On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, there was a ceasefire and the guns fell silent.

This year’s service will be held at the Cenotaph in Te Marae o Hine/The Square, at 11am.

Palmerston North Anzac and Armistice Day Organising Committee chairman Joe Hollander says everyone is welcome.

“Remembrance Day holds a special place in our hearts, and we’re deeply committed to ensuring that the memory of our fallen heroes remains alive and well in our community. We invite everyone to join us as we pay our respects and acknowledge the thousands of Kiwis who fought and lost their lives during World War I.”

In the years following the war, there has been a shift in naming from Armistice Day to Remembrance Day to encompass a broader scope of remembrance for all service members who have made sacrifices in various conflicts.

The name change reflects the ongoing commitment to honour and remember all veterans who have served our country, Hollander says.

From a population of only 1 million, 124,000 New Zealanders served in World War I. More than 20,000 made the ultimate sacrifice and did not return home, including 898 from the Palmerston North area.

The event will include a wreath-laying ceremony, bugle renditions and a two-minute silence in honour of the fallen. Attendees are encouraged to wear their poppies as a symbol of remembrance and respect for the sacrifices made by veterans.

Hollander is expecting more people to attend this year.

“This year’s service falls on a Saturday, providing an excellent opportunity for more of our community to attend.”

The weather forecast for Saturday is sun and cloud.

The RSA’s official historian, Dr Andrew Macdonald, will talk on the anatomy of New Zealand’s worst military disaster - Passchendaele in 1917. The Remembrance Day talk at Central Library runs from 6.30pm to 7.30pm.

Donations to the Royal New Zealand Engineers Charitable Trust would be appreciated.