At the meantime, here's another article about Hayley on Anac Day:
Wednesday April 25, 09:00 AM
Thousands remember on Anzac Day
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Young and old, veterans and their families, service personnel and scouts, around the country thousands of people turned out for the Anzac Day dawn to remember the sacrifices of others.
Source:
nz.news.yahoo.com/070424/3/d2w.htmlIn Wellington, several thousand packed the area in front of the Cenotaph as about 150 veterans and their families led the dawn parade the short distance along Lambton Quay.
The firing of a single gun heralded the dawn as former Secretary of Defence Graham Fortune gave the address.
He spoke of the sacrifices made by New Zealanders and Australians in two world wars and said the two countries needed to remember their shared heritage.
"New Zealand and Australia gather to honour our men and women who fought, suffered and died."
He said a shared standard of behaviour had been forged in the World War 1 at Gallipoli and the countries should not go so far in creating their own identities as to forget their shared history.
"When we're faced with injustice, we would as a people do what was right despite any resistance," he said.
"We and Australia have always worked together in war and peace. We must continue to do so."
Mr Fortune's address at that point was interrupted by a small group of protesters calling themselves Peace Action Wellington who sounded a horn and set a New Zealand flag alight in the grounds of the Old Government Buildings.
Police quickly extinguished the flag and apprehended at least one offender, who continued to shout: "Stop assaulting me. You're assaulting me."
The incident happened between two protest banners: "Conscientious objectors. The Real War Heroes", and "Lest we forget... Already Forgotten. Afghanistan, Solomon Islands, East Timor."
After the scuffle died down, Mr Fortune concluded.
"We have many rights but not the right to forget those who died so that we might be free."
Internationally renowned Christchurch singer Hayley Westenra sang the national anthem before a pipe band led the marchers off towards Pipitea Marae.In Auckland a few minutes after 6am an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 people stood in silence and darkness for a full minute at one of the largest dawn services in the city's history.
The estimated record crowd was at The Cenotaph in Auckland Domain for the 68th dawn service, including an increasing number of young people and a mix of ethnicities.
Moments after the flags were lowered and the lights were extinguished, a Salvation Army bugler sounded the Last Post in the breaking dawn and the crowd stood for a full minute of silence.
For a full minute the eerie silence of the dawn was broken only by an occasional cough or sneeze.
Moments later Auckland Mayor Dick Hubbard told the crowd they were not there to glorify war.
"What we remember on this special day is the courage of those who were prepared to put their lives on the line for their comrades and their country.
"It was at Gallipoli that Kiwi soldiers stood shoulder to shoulder with their Australian cousins beginning a strong Anzac tradition which continues today in peacekeeping missions all around the world," Mr Hubbard said.
"We also remember this day as the day our country came together. For the first time we began to think of ourselves as one nation.
"Those who went to war to fight for England came back thinking of themselves as Kiwis," he said.
For the first time in several years the 2007 service was not marred by rain and cold conditions as war veterans marched on to the Court of Honour in front of the museum.
Ross Falconer, principal chaplain with the Royal New Zealand Air Force, began the service by telling the crowd they prayed for a better world without war.
In his Anzac dedication Mr Hubbard said "at this hour upon this day Anzac received its baptism of fire and became one of the immortal names in history."
He told the crowd they had gathered to remember the comrades who fought for freedom on land, sea and air but did not return.
"We feel them still near us in the spirit. We wish to be worthy of their great sacrifice.
"Let us therefore once more dedicate ourselves to the service of the ideals for which they died.
"As the dawn is even now about to pierce the night, so let their memory inspire us to work for the coming of new light into the dark places of the world.
"We will remember them."
Mr Hubbard then placed a wreath on The Cenotaph before the Last Post and the minute's silence.
As the Salvation Army bugler sounded the Reveille the crowd was told playing it at the dawn service proclaimed the belief that the landing of the Anzac troops at Gallipoli was the "dawn of nationhood of New Zealand and Australia."
In one of the minor glitches of the service the flypast by an Air Force Seasprite helicopter attached to the navy, began a few moments early, drowning out part of the Ross Falconer's benediction as it roared low overhead.
War veterans marched off to the roll of the drums but not before a warning from the parade commander to watch the steps as they marched off the ground.
They had earlier been reminded one of the old soldiers they now remembered was Sydney John McGuire, a 62-year-old war veteran who collapsed and died in front of the crowd at the dawn service in Auckland last year.
In Christchurch, RSA president John Suttie estimated 8000 turned up on a clear day in The Square for the dawn service.
"It would be the biggest turnout we've had for a few years, maybe five or six years, maybe even more than that."
Among those were a large number of veterans from Vietnam, Malaya and later conflicts, as well as good turnout of World War 2 veterans.
Mr Suttie said they did not march, as they were getting older, but the RSA had a strong membership in Christchurch, including upwards of 1000 World War 2 veterans.
Mr Suttie, who served overseas in southeast Asia, said it had been good to see scouts, guides and brownies all laying wreathes, and a younger generation maintaining the memory of those who had made huge sacrifices.
Schools and families were interested in looking at RSA archives to find out information about Gallipoli and other wars.
In Dunedin, police said a large number turned out in fine but crisp conditions for the dawn parade at the Centotaph in Queen's Gardens.
In Temuka, RSA members braved some wet weather for the dawn parade before heading for a service at the Cenotaph in nearby Winchester.
