Army unit turns 150

New Zealand's oldest Army unit marks its 150th year of service this weekend with services and a parade in Taranaki.

The celebration of the 5th Wellington West Coast Taranaki Battalion Group will begin tomorrow morning with a Chunuk Bair remembrance dawn service at the Malone Gates in Stratford.

On Saturday there will be a parade through the streets of New Plymouth and Sunday involves a service in St Mary's, where the regiment was garrisoned for a short time in 1860.

During the parade a number of the regiment's personnel will be presented with medals for efficiency and deployments to the Solomon Islands and Sinai.

A powhiri will be held in Waitara to recognise and acknowledge the regiment's relationship to Taranaki iwi.