From the mayor's desk: Stratford will have an Anzac Day service this year

In 2020, Stratford Mayor Neil Volzke placed a wreath at the Malone Gates as a way to acknowledge Anzac Day during the lockdown that April. Photo / Ilona Hanne

Opinion:

For many, Anzac Day is perhaps the most important of all our public holidays.

It serves not only as a day of remembrance but also as a day that unifies the country and gives us a renewed sense of national pride and belonging.

Anzac Day remembers all those who have served their country and commemorates the thousands who have lost their lives doing so. We owe them. Their sacrifice allows us to enjoy the freedom and democracy we experience today.

Let's also take a moment to reflect on the strong bond that brings together New Zealanders and our Australian neighbours. Staunch allies and friends in times of need, fierce competitors on the sports fields, the butt of each other's jokes; but always, we are Anzacs.

Acknowledging the work of our defence forces helps remind us of the vital role they have played in maintaining peace and stability in the regions they serve. Their work is ongoing and just today, as I write this article, the first group of New Zealand Defence Force personnel have been deployed to Europe to assist with the defence of Ukraine. Their work comes with risk.

I recall the Covid lockdown in 2020 robbed us of the opportunity to hold normal commemorative services, but instead provided the opportunity for the community to unite by standing outside our homes at dawn. The morning was crisp and calm, with clear skies overhead. In the distance a lone piper played the pipes; it was haunting, like something from a movie script.

Last year, Covid again limited the commemorations, but a dawn service was held at the Cross of Sacrifice and although we weren't able to have the traditional parade, a sizable crowd turned out for the service.

This year a parade will be held as part of the dawn service that will take place at the Cross of Sacrifice. This will be a special occasion for the Stratford community as a sizable number of communities elsewhere are still not holding services this year.

While there is no longer an RSA in Stratford to organise commemorations, there is undoubtedly a strong community feeling that Anzac services must continue to be held here, which is something that council has embraced and supports.

A feature of the Anzac Day dawn service in Stratford is the display of white crosses standing on the lawn beside the Cross of Sacrifice. Each small cross bears a name and commemorates an individual person from our district who lost their life defending this country.

Many of the names are easily recognisable with a prevalence of long-standing, local family names on display throughout. It reminds us of the local contribution to our nation's military service and the sacrifices made. It is our duty to remember them.

To see the names of our forefathers on display has special significance. On a personal level, I note the name of Pilot Officer Lou Volzke who served and was killed in WWII. The family link is there. My own father served in Italy and Egypt in WWII as a signalman and dispatch rider. Many of those attending dawn service will have a similar story to tell and we share this common bond.

The Hall of Remembrance in Stratford is a very special part of our district's history and is well worth a visit as Anzac Day approaches.

A wreath and lantern making workshop is scheduled for April 22 and anyone interested in making a wreath or lantern is welcome to attend. Later that day the wreaths will be moved to the Hall of Remembrance and displayed among the photographs that line both sides of the hallway.

After enduring the restrictions of the Covid pandemic for the last two years, the return of traditional Anzac Day commemorations is a significant and welcome step towards the return to normal. Lest we forget.

Details of the Anzac Day commemorations are available on the Stratford District Council website.