Anzac Day: Commemorations planned for Hamilton and around the region

The Cenotaph at Memorial Park in Hamilton lit up during the last year’s dawn service. Photo / Hamilton City Council

Anzac Day is Tuesday, April 25, and in Hamilton, people of all ages will once again gather in silence to honour fallen and returned servicemen and women – a tradition passed down the generations for more than 100 years.

Hamilton’s 2023 Anzac Day commemorations at the Memorial Park Cenotaph will begin with the Dawn Service at 6am, followed by a civic service at 10am. Event and parade details are on the Hamilton City Council website at hamilton.govt.nz/anzacday – both events will go ahead regardless of the weather. Large screens will be placed at each end of Memorial Park so people are able to easily see and hear the commemorations from around the park. The services will also be livestreamed so those who cannot attend in person can watch from home.

Both services will be mc’d by NZ Army Reservist Officer Lieutenant Colonel Olly Te Ua. He was the commanding officer of 3rd/6th Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, the reserve battalion based in New Zealand, and is now a Māngai Māori representative for Hamilton City Council.

Te Ua’s great-grandfather served at Gallipoli from June to August 1915. In 2018, Te Ua represented New Zealand and the NZ Defence Force as the contingent commander at the Anzac services at Chunuk Bair.

Mayor Paula Southgate, who will speak at the civic service, says sharing the Anzac Day experience is vital to keep our history alive.

“I love to see young people and young families attending Anzac services. Sadly, we now have only a few surviving World War II veterans, so our link to the past lives on through sharing stories.”

Southgate says while Anzac Day is about remembering the past, the current conflict in Ukraine is a reminder that war is a constant. “That’s why it’s so important that we pass the baton to our youth to continue to remember, to commemorate, and to uphold the adage: Never again!”

The guest speaker at this year’s civic service will be Cadet Warrant Officer Class One Shane Marwood, who was named New Zealand Cadet Forces Cadet of the Year for 2022.

The dawn parade will assemble at the corner of Victoria Street and Anzac Parade at 5.30am for a 5.45am march.

A limited number of disabled car parks will be available close to Memorial Park – please email events@hcc.govt.nz if you require disabled parking.

The city council says if you have known medical conditions or are at high risk, please take precautions to ensure your own safety on the day, especially getting to the Dawn Service in the dark, or stay home and watch the live stream.

More details about the event, including the parades, and road and boat ramp closures are on the council website at hamilton.govt.nz/anzacday – the link to the livestream will be made available on the day.

There are also Anzac memorial services across the Waikato.

Matamata-Piako District Council in conjunction with the local RSAs and community groups arranges Anzac Day civic and dawn ceremonies in Matamata, Morrinsville and Te Aroha, and civic service in Walton.

At the Morrinsville Dawn Service, the WWII Historical Reenactment Society will do a three-round blank volley fire. The Morrinsville RSA will be open to the public all day with food, drinks and entertainment.

At the Taumarunui Dawn Service, there will be two rounds of gunfire discharged as well. Further services in the Ruapehu District will be held at Raetihi Marae, Ohakune and Waiouru. The civic service in Waiouru is held by the NZ Army and the National Army Museum. At 1pm, as well as on Wednesday, 11am and 1pm there will be a live Gallipoli diary reading at the Museum’s Tears on Greenstone Memorial.

In South Waikato, there will be dawn and civic services in Tokoroa and Putāruru. For those, some local roads will be closed. Tīrau will only have a civic service.

In the Coromandel, Whangamatā and Thames will have four Anzac events each, with further services held in seven other local towns.

Hauraki District Council will hold several services in Paeroa, Waihī and Ngatea, and one service each in Kaihere/Patetonga, Kaiaua and Kerepehi.

The Ōtorohanga Civic service parade at 10am will be led by the Te Kūiti and District Highland Pipe Band. There will also be a civic service parade in Kawhia.

In the Waikato District, there are services and parades on in Tuakau, Te Kauwhata, Raglan, Port Waikato, Pokeno, Mercer, Maramarua, Huntly, Gordonton, Eureka and Ngāruawāhia. For more information visit the Waikato District Council’s website.

Check your council’s Facebook page or website for further information and service details.