The children of veterans were finally recognised this Anzac Day. Photo/Ben Fraser
The children of veterans were finally recognised this Anzac Day. Photo/Ben Fraser
" We got it right on the day," said Mayor Steve Chadwick.
And where the children of Gallipoli vets are concerned she and her World War I committee certainly did ... albeit belatedly.
Following an opinion piece by me last Thursday, slamming the lack of recognition of thosewith the most immediate links to the men who survived the horrors of Gallipoli, Mrs Chadwick was quick to redress the "oversight".
There were front row seats for vets' children and acknowledgment of them at the Anzac Day civic service.
More than a dozen who had previously been overlooked suddenly found themselves in the limelight. A number had made contact in response to my request for fellow vets' children to make themselves known. And there was an even bigger and better bonus.
Western Australia-based Richard Briggs emailed saying his mother, former district councillor Rangi Briggs, was a Gallipoli veteran's widow.
Embarrassingly, I found myself as guilty by omission as those I'd accused of overlooking "the children of Gallipoli".
It simply hadn't occurred to me any widow could still be alive. Rangi's an admirable 95 and it would have taken more than a Turkish onslaught to keep her away from Saturday's civic service once the invitation was extended.
Four of her five children were at her side, including Richard.
After the service, Rotorua Museum's deputy director Pamela Lovis invited us to lay poppies and hosted an Anzac biscuit morning tea.
Meeting so many with such a direct Gallipoli link had been an unexpected bonus for the museum, Ms Lovis said: "It's uncovered a whole new wealth of knowledge and some amazing memorabilia."
Nor will "us lot" be shunted back into the woodwork - a representative from our ranks has been invited to join the mayor-chaired committee.
All are grateful for the recognition, but how sad it took the words of a snarky journalist.
I can now get off my hobby horse. The moving speeches by Boys' and Girls' High and John Paul College's civic service representatives made it apparent the spirit of Anzac Day is in the best possible hands for generations to come.
- Jill Nicholas is former deputy editor of the Rotorua Daily Post.
