New Zealanders march in Sydney Anzac parade

5.00pm

SYDNEY - New Zealand needs to give Anzac Day higher recognition to match the profile it has in Australia, a Vietnam veteran said today.

Retired Lieutenant Colonel Brian Hewitt became the first soldier from the Vietnam War to lead the New Zealand contingent in Sydney's massive parade march through the central city this morning.

He said he realised that Anzac Day commemorations had drawn increased numbers in New Zealand in recent years, but said more was required.

"I know it's big in New Zealand, but it should be bigger. People are realising more that people served and suffered, but I don't believe they accord as much priority to Anzac Day as we do in Australia.

"For example, we have a public holiday tomorrow (Monday), recognising it as a very important day in the calendar year, while New Zealand does not have such a public holiday this year," he told NZPA.

"Let's hope and pray it does become more important in its profile, because a lot more New Zealanders are serving overseas and then becoming returned servicemen (and women). They need to be honoured and their service needs to be remembered."

The Canberra management consultant led about 100 New Zealanders near the front of the Sydney parade. They were warmly received by an estimated 200,000 people lining central city streets as the marchers made their way to the Anzac Memorial in Hyde Park.

Mr Hewitt said he felt honoured to lead the New Zealanders, particularly as Vietnam veterans had suffered from a lack of recognition at Anzac commemorations.

"It was wonderful to be asked. I'm 60 next year, so the Vietnam veterans are not getting any younger."

Mr Hewitt served in the New Zealand Royal Artillery 161 Battery in Vietnam, acting as a forward observer with two Australian battalions. He also served in Zimbabwe in 1979-80.

There were only a handful of World War 2 veterans on hand this morning. New Zealand sub-branch of the Returned & Services League secretary Ben Furby said that played a part in asking Mr Hewitt to lead this year.

"And Anzac Day is inclusive of all campaigns," Mr Furby, 78, said.

He and sub-branch president Margaret McInroy also asked a serving officer to control the New Zealand contingent on the march.

Warrant Officer 1 Peter Cullen, a trained regimental sergeant major currently on secondment to the Australian Defence Force in Sydney, performed the task.

"I'm aware that many of us are more like Dad's Army than the active young men and women we were when we last wore uniforms, so we wanted a professional sergeant major to have us at our smartest in representing New Zealand's mana in Australia," Mr Furby said.

New South Wales Opposition leader John Brogden again joined the New Zealand contingent this year, marching with his father, Gil, a Royal New Zealand Air Force veteran, and wearing the medals of his late grandfather, a World War 1 veteran.

The Sydney march was led by 105-year-old Marcel Caux, one of Australia's last World War I veterans.

"It is a very special day," he said as the parade kicked off.

The other five remaining World War I veterans were physically unable to join parades around the country.

More than 22,000 serving and ex-service personnel are took part in the Sydney parade.

- NZPA