Veterans have applauded one of the largest turnouts in many years for the Anzac Day dawn service in Christchurch this morning.
Several thousand people, including a large contingent of children, rose early and crammed into Cathedral Square for the 6.30am service on a cool, overcast morning.
Against animpressive backdrop of semi-lit buildings, the crowds were held back by strands of yellow plastic tape as the veterans marched about 100m to the cenotaph for the service.
Although there were a few mutterings about the quality of the sound system and some complained of being unable to see the proceedings, the readings, laying of wreaths and traditional playing of the Last Post largely ran smoothly.
RSA spokesman Pat Duggan said later the turnout was excellent, especially after a wet morning last year.
"It gets larger every year. It has been for the last 10 or 12 years. Every year I am amazed. The basic service is exactly the same each year, the only thing that changes is the technology. We have to get a few bugs out of the (sound) system."
World War Two veteran Doug Gooday left a special message at the cenotaph "for the boys who were in the outer convoys" he served with in Russia.
He admitted that getting out of bed at age 83 was getting harder, but the service still moved him.
"The Last Post always gets me. I'm going back to the RSA now to meet a few old cobbers and have a couple of rums."
Abbey White, 9, wore her great-grandfather's medals and called the day "very special".
