ANZAC Day at Te Horo School

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By Margaret Andrews

R_poppiesTe Horo School pupils and staff, the Te Horo Hall committee and local residents joined together for the annual Anzac Day commemoration, held at the Te Horo Hall.

The service was held at the hall, which this year is celebrating 100 years since it was built by the community and 100 years since World War 1 began.

Pupils, Joseph Simpson and Ella Brown led the programme, which included a recitation of a poem The Honour of Being New Zealanders, singing the National Anthem and reciting the poem In Flanders Fields.

Anaru McGhie and Amy Avery led the flag ceremony, when NZ flag was raised on the new flagpole outside the hall, during the playing of the Last Post by piper Tim Wilson, a parent and former pupil of Te Horo School. During the outside ceremony, a NZ flag was unfurled inside the hall by the pupils. “Anzac Day is not to glorify war but to remember and honour our war dead,” Colin Robertson, Otaki RSA president and guest speaker told those gathered. “This year is the 100th anniversary of beginning World War 1. Britain joined the battle after Britain declared war on Germany in August 1914. The first New Zealand forces, 1400 men were sent to German (East) Samoa.”

He told of the 11 Victoria Crosses awarded to NZ troops and a further seven to NZ’s serving with other forces, such as Australia. “There were no winners, an armistice was declared at 11am on November 11 1918. Over the next four years New Zealand will celebrate different aspects of the war.”

Among the parents and guests were former long-time residents, Shirley Bothamley and Ynes Blackbourne and two parents serving with RNZAF.

The ceremony closed with pupils singing the school song, they returned to school while the remaining guests had afternoon tea at the hall.