Whanganui’s Anzac Day service draws large crowd to city centre

Many gathered for the 2024 Anzac Day service at the Whanganui War Memorial Centre. Photo / Bevan Conley

A large crowd attended Whanganui’s Anzac Day service this morning, with one veteran describing it as “magnificent”.

Approximately 1500 people were at the Whanganui War Memorial Centre for the service in overcast, mild weather.

For the first time, descendants of members of the Māori Battalion led the parade onto the memorial forecourt.

There was a 15-minute delay between the parade’s arrival and the beginning of the service.

Whanganui District Mayor Andrew Tripe shared the story of the first New Zealander to be killed in World War 1 - Whanganui-raised William Arthur Ham.

Ham was 22 years old when he was killed during fighting at the Suez Canal in Egypt.

“The impact of war also has generational consequences,” Tripe said.

“Who knows what the future might have been for William Ham and his children.”

Veteran Graeme Pleasants, who served in the Royal New Zealand Air Force from 1961 to 1982, said Whanganui’s Anzac service was “magnificent”.

“I was remembering all my old mates who have gone before me,” he said.

Pleasants was part of the RSA (Royal New Zealand Returned and Services Association) committee that decided on the later start time for Whanganui’s Anzac service - 7am.

“It’s better to have it at 7am because more of us old fellas can get out here.”

He said the delay before the service began was “a bit disappointing”.

Image 1 of 23: Whanganui ANZAC day service at Whanganui Memorial Hall. Photo / Bevan Conley

Lieutenant Craig Harnett said there had been a lot of discussion about the time change of the service from dawn to 7am, but he felt it was something Whanganui should stick with.

“It was definitely warmer and it was a more pleasant experience for those older veterans,” he said.

“It means a lot to me, especially being in the military.”

School student Ella Catchpole said her favourite part of the service was the wreath-laying.

“I really enjoyed it. It was quite sad, but it’s good that we are doing this to remember.”

The Wanganui Aero Club conducted a fly-past of four planes at the start of the service, followed later by two RNZAF helicopters.

The Whanganui Highland Pipe Band and Brass Whanganui performed during the wreath-laying ceremony and The New Zealand Cadet Forces supported the running of the service.

Harnett said overall the service had attracted a “fantastic turnout”.

In his address, Returned and Services Association Welfare Trust president Robert Allen said the sacrifices made by those fallen soldiers must not be taken for granted.

“Let us remember the families who lost husbands, sons and sweethearts.”

In Chaplain Rosemary Anderson’s speech, she acknowledged the Anzac spirit and the duty to strive for lasting peace.

“Today our world is trembling on the rim of an escalating conflict in the Middle East and Ukraine,” she said.

“It is a reminder of the fragile nature of life in a broken world.”

After the service, Club Metro served traditional rum and coffee and a cooked breakfast.

Eva de Jong is a reporter for the Whanganui Chronicle covering health stories and general news. She began as a reporter in 2023.