Rotorua marks 101st Armistice

Former RSA president William McDonald, left, lays a wreath with the Navy’s Keith Wisnewski.

Rotorua marked 101 years since the WW1 Armistice today.

Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick fused today's Remembrance Day 1918 with the Christchurch terrorist attack in March this year.

Steve acknowledged the challenges met by young Kiwis who had served their country overseas.

'We hear about the challenges of these young men thinking that they were off on an adventure.

'But we remember and are grateful for how far they fought and the ultimate sacrifice that many of them made to protect our country and democracy.”

She says 'our world faces global insecurity and retaining peace in our time is being challenged by trade wars, extreme rhetoric and global leaders and ongoing troubles”.

She referred to the 'act of terrorism” that shocked New Zealanders in March, when 51 people were slain at two Christchurch mosques at Riccarton and Linwood.

'It questioned whether New Zealand was the incredible place that we all believed it was.”

She was pleased that on Anzac Day, when New Zealand's security alert was incredibly high 'our veterans still came out and marched” with support in great numbers.

But 'we will never forget those who in WW1 and WW2 and the conflicts that have followed that NZ armed forces have always been a part of”.

Steve Chadwick addresses a small crowd at Te Rununga Tearooms, Rotorua.

The remembrance – held as with the rest of the country on the actual date the armistice was signed at precisely at 11am on November 11, 1918 – was transferred from the open air of the Cenotaph to under cover at Te Runanga Tearooms in Rotorua.

The weather forecast dictated the change.

As it happened, the remembrance was held under porcelain china blue skies and a slight eddy.

Unlike other years with day was marked with fanfare, today with the weight of years on veterans' shoulders there appeared more fare than fan.

The assembly was smaller than previous years, ranks relatively reduced.

Still, one or two WWll combatants attended along with those who had fought in the Korean and Vietnam theatres.

As for the fare, the Reverend Tom Poata announced repast of crayfish ('only one cray”, he said amid laughter), oysters and other marine life.

Two minutes silence acknowledged the solemnity of the day as wreaths were laid at a makeshift pole at the main entrance to the tearooms.

Despite the change of venue, several United Kingdom visitors found their way to the alternative venue.

At the cenotaph, several poppies were set down in tribute as the main commemoration was held some 50metres away.

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