Zoe Hunter: Why it's important young people attend Anzac services

Lest we forget. We will remember them, writes Zoe Hunter. Photo / Alan Gibson

OPINION

The sound of the bugle playing the Last Post gives me goosebumps every year.

It is such a powerful, emotional sound that carries so much history.

The bugle call is sounded to indicate a soldier has gone to his final rest and is heard at commemorative services like Anzac Day on April 25.

My dad has learned to play the bugle call on his trumpet. I am pretty proud of that.

It is his way of honouring the thousands of New Zealand soldiers who served and died fighting for our country.

Yesterday, hundreds of people in the Bay of Plenty woke at the crack of dawn to mark the anniversary of the landing of Australian and New Zealand soldiers - the Anzacs - on the Gallipoli Peninsula in 1915.

Thousands of soldiers lost their lives during the campaign, among the dead were 2779 New Zealanders, about one-sixth of those who served on Gallipoli.

It is an important part of New Zealand history and, even more than 100 years on, I believe we should still honour it.

In my opinion, it is important for children to attend a dawn service at least once in their young lives. It is important for my generation, to also get up early to mark the day.

It was our grandparents, great-grandparents and great-great-grandparents who fought for the lives we are so lucky to live today. It is only right we should pay our respects.

I remember attending many dawn services as a young Girl Guide. I got to camp out with my fellow Girl Guides, wake early, pull on our uniforms, and take part in the Anzac parade.

As a young girl, I learned the importance of Anzac Day.

Now as a woman, I can understand and respect why we shall never forget. That is why I still attend services as an adult.

It is a special sight to see some of our soldiers who are still with us today, standing tall in the crowd, their medals pinned proudly to their chests.

There is nothing more moving than standing in the darkness at the first hint of dawn and hearing that bugle.

The last surviving member of the 28th Māori Battalion also encouraged people to attend an Anzac Day service this year.

Sir Robert Gillies, who was made Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit last year, told NZME he attended the dawn service parade in Ōhinemutu in Rotorua yesterday.

"So many of them have family who were killed in all the wars," he said.

"All the families have had someone in there who didn't come home."

Former Tauranga mayor Tenby Powell served in the regular and reserve forces of the New Zealand Army since 1983 and holds the rank of colonel.

In a special column this week, Powell wrote New Zealanders discovered something important about our identity at Gallipoli.

I agree.

New Zealand was forged out of the acts of those brave, resilient, and proud servicemen more than 100 years ago.

Lest we forget. We will remember them.