Anzac day installations to be poignant

RSA president William MacDonald at the site where a lone pine tree will be planted for Anzac Day. 10 April 2015 Daily Post photograph by Stephen Parker

Rotorua's Anzac Day commemorations will be even more poignant this year with the planting of more than 100 crosses, along with a descendant of the original Gallipoli Lone Pine.

Plans have been finalised to install about 120 white crosses, and one Star of David, around the Cenotaph in the Government Gardens - to be known as the Field of Remembrance - to mark the 100th anniversary of the Anzac Gallipoli landings and all of the men from the district who died during World War I.

A special consecration ceremony will be held to bless the site on April 23.

After the service a very special piece of history will also be planted - a seedling grown from a pine cone originally taken from the Gallipoli Peninsula's famous Lone Pine.

Rotorua Crown research institute Scion has bred about 50 two-year old seedlings to be gifted to RSAs nationwide with one to be planted opposite the Cenotaph.

The seeds were collected in 2012 from the Turkish red pine (Pinus brutia) growing at Paeroa Golf Course.

This tree is an authenticated descendant of the original Lone Pine and traces back to a pine cone brought home by Australian soldier Sergeant Keith McDowell after World War 1.

Incidentally, it may not be the only Lone Pine descendant growing in Rotorua.

In the RSA section of the Rotorua Cemetery there stands an unremarkable, gnarled old pine tree, planted in 1965 to mark the 50th anniversary of Gallipoli, which is most probably a descendant of the same tree.

However, according to Scion officials it would be quite expensive to carry out full genetic testing of the tree.

Scion Forest Science general manager Brian Richardson said Scion was uniquely placed to make a meaningful contribution to the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli campaign.

"I am humbled by the loyalty and sacrifice of all those who have served for our country, and am very proud that Scion can gift these trees as a living memorial to honour our veterans and their descendants," he said.

The plan is to have the young winner of the recent Rotorua Museum "My World War I Hero" research competition, who has family links to Gallipoli, to help plant the tree on the day.

Rotorua RSA president William McDonald said both the tree planting and the Field of Remembrance would make the 100th anniversary of Gallipoli even more significant.

"I think of the thousands of crosses in cemeteries across Europe where our young men are buried and those who also died in Gallipoli fighting near the site of the original Lone Pine - what a wonderful way to remember them.

"We are very grateful to Scion for their project. While the tree slowly grows I hope everyone will remember the sacrifices made more than 100 years ago."

? The Rotorua District Field of Remembrance consecration and Lone Pine planting ceremony will be held from 5pm on Thursday April 23 and is open to the public.