Anzac Day Remembered in NZ and Around the World

Anzac Day Remembered in NZ and Around the World

New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel will join Kiwis around the world in places as diverse as Gallipoli, New York, Beijing, Riyadh, Afghanistan and Timor-Leste to mark one of New Zealand’s most significant days; Anzac Day on Sunday 25 April.

NZDF representatives will also attend many of the dawn and civic ceremonies held at war memorials and town halls throughout New Zealand.

The Chief of Defence Force, Lieutenant General Jerry Mateparae will represent the NZDF at the Anzac Day services in Gallipoli, which will also be attended by the Prime Minister John Key, Minister of Veterans Affairs Judith Collins and opposition Minister Rick Barker.

“Anzac Day is a day to honour the sacrifice of our service men and women who gave their lives in the cause of peace not only at Gallipoli but in other conflicts,” said LTGEN Mateparae.

“Today the ANZAC spirit forged on these shared battlefields continues with NZDF working alongside our Australian counterparts on numerous operations and exercises around the World.

“Anzac Day is also a day when many New Zealanders reflect on what it means to be a Kiwi and the values we hold dear like comradeship, courage and loyalty. It is a time when our military personnel reflect on their history and the deep connections they have as individuals, and collectively as the Defence Force, to our nation. It reinforces a sense of identity, belonging and pride.

“This year we have a large NZDF presence at Gallipoli and will be represented at numerous services around the world and in New Zealand,” he said.

Rear Admiral Jack Steer will represent CDF at the National Commemorative Service in Wellington, which will also be attended by the Governor General of New Zealand, the Honorable Anand Satyanand, Lady Satyanand and members of the Diplomatic Corps.

On Anzac Day, there will be 1,112 New Zealand Defence Force personnel serving overseas on operations, UN missions and defence exercises.

The 111 Kiwis in Bamyan Province, Afghanistan will take part in a dawn ceremony at Kiwi Base, while the five New Zealanders at ISAF HQ in Kabul will attend a multinational ceremony there.

The four New Zealanders in South Korea will meet Australian representatives for a dawn service at the Korean National War Memorial.

The New Zealand Senior National Officer with the United Nations Mission in Sudan will be at the service at the Commonwealth War Graves in Khartoum, where a single New Zealand serviceman is buried.

The 28 Kiwis with the Multinational Force Observers in Egypt will participate in dawn services at North Camp in the Sinai and the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Cairo. They will also have representatives at the service in Jerusalem, along with the eight New Zealanders working for the United Nations Treaty Supervision Organisation in the Middle East.

The sole New Zealander in Iraq will commemorate the day with the Australian forces.

Closer to home, the 157–strong contingent in Timor-Leste will participate in dawn services with their Australian comrades, before challenging them to a sporting event in the afternoon.

The eight Kiwis in the Solomon Islands will also be joining with the Australian contingent in a dawn parade and service.

The 215 personnel on the ships crew of HMNZS ENDEAVOUR and HMNZS TE KAHA are in Singapore, and will be at the Kranji War Memorial service and a dawn service in Kuala Lumpur.

The 203 personnel made up of HMNZS CANTERBURY crew, Army and Air Force personnel in New Caledonia for EXERCISE CROIX DU SUD will be with Commander Joint Forces NZ Air Vice-Marshal Peter Stockwell at the Pacific War Graves service.

In addition, New Zealand Defence Attachés will attend services in the countries they are based including Singapore, Riyadh, Canada and Japan.

ENDS

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