ANZAC day coincided with a trip for us to Pukawa with Hannah and Tasman, two of our granddaughters. It also coincided with Hannah's need to attend an ANZAC parade in order to get one of her Girl Guide badges. What to do?
We occasionally go to ANZAC services but this was a must. So we found out what was on at the south end of Taupo Moana. There was a dawn service at Waihi, a special remembrance at the Tokaanu Anglican Church and a civic parade in Turangi. Believe it or not we did the lot!
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| Granny Smith and Hannah 0430 hrs |
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| Waihi Marae at Dawn |
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| Guard at the Cenotaph |
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| Speeches During Morning Tea at Waihi Marae |
An early rise saw us at Waihi. In the first greying of the dawn we assembled and the rank and file marched onto the Marae and halted before the wharenui - the moon shone down - the lone bugler's sound arose from the darkness. There was just enough light to see your knees. The local ladies looked after us with morning tea in the wharekai and we watched the sun come up over Taupo.
We called at the Waihi church for the remembrance service to one of the local Maori slain in WW1. Then it was time to return to the 'hut' for breakfast. It was here that granddad decided that actually marching in the civic parade at 10am was what Hannah really had to do for her guide badge. And so we returned to the east and Hannah, accompanied by granddad and wearing her great-granddad's WW2 medals, marched with the troops. At the RSA where the order to halt was given we listened to the speeches and at the end Hannah, Tasman, Granny and Granddad placed their poppies on the cenotaph. Then it was ice cream time - as granddad couldn't find any rum.
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| Windows at Tokaanu Church |
For Hannah especially it was quite an intense experience.
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| Girl Guide |
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