ANZAC DAY AT OHAU

Otaki Mail, 7 May 1923, Page 4

ANZAC DAY AT OHAU

file Memorial Service ;u (Jhau on Anzac Day held under the Union Jack in the schouigroumls, was well attended by the public and the school chiU;ren, witlt a fair number oi returned soldiers —with such a large number in the district a larger attendance v, , expected. Rev. 1. C. Davies, of l.evin, conducted tin* religious portion ol‘ the Service. Mr G. I). Hamilton, President of the R.s.A., addressed the children. This day, lie said, was the Silt am.iof the landing til the Dan! t nelles by the men who left this cotinj try with the small army; the main body, and the first droits of reinforce menfs, the day that the first New Zca lander's blood flowed in actual bunk in liie Great War. What more upp.m inflate day could be selected for a "Day of Remembrance” for all tin brave men who laid down their liver for the t ause of freedom? Right throughout the Dominion then:* war not a day passed, but some person liu whose memory was still fresh remembrance of a son, a bio titer. a husband, or perhaps a father, held in their private lives an anniversary til the day their do,at one was killed; but this day was the special day appointed for the whole of the population io join in mourning the loss of so many brave lads. ‘lt is to the children i wish more particularly to address my lew remarks, and I desire to be as brief, and -speak in as simple language as 1 can : 1 wish to direct the# attention to that llag. with the retoimnendation at every time they see it, they should feel proud of the Empire which it symbolises. it was the freedom symbolised by that flag, which sent the flower of the manhood of this young country out to the battlefields of Egypt, the Dardanelles (called Anzac), Palestine and France, so that they should defend that freedom for you and me to live under in peace and prosperity. 1 would like to draw your attention to the strong tie- whbfli bind our vast Empire together; it i- like a la nr* family oi boy- and girls, who have on occasion little differences between tie in-' |\or with their parents, put in th<? time ol ti'uuhie. adversity, and danger iiie offspring immediately rali.v to the protection ol their parent. Now, boys amt girts, tilts pay should be looked upon by you. as one on which to ' Ute' hise yourselves, as to whether you are framing your lives to the mode] r.f those great heroes who gave up their live- so ungrudgingly for our benefit. great obb-.-t cart he attained in this file wittiout self-saci ifire or self-denial of some kind, and how much easier it is for you to deny yourselves -orne little thing (which may at the time seem overwhelming to your minds in comparison *• :’!, giving up your life. You

twill nr-ver realise now hard it is t/* give up your life until you are p!in m such a position, that it seems irn . possible that you can jive much long, er. In the able-bodied man the ire snort of self-preservation comes P.w and calls on him io exercise his -I - and ability to kill the other fellow, but this only happened in hand-to-hand fighting during the war. The major portion of the war was fought in flip trenches where the men were fighting and courting death every minute from an unseen foe. \Y strength, fortitude and will power were required by these brave fellows, ing up to the glorious examples set by (hos,-. near and dear relatives friends, and framing their lives -v comingly, so that they may foe a cre-P to those glorious dead, and enjoy u ■he fullest the vast benefits which fhev have through their sacrifice handed ini--, our keeping. In .;1?n flusion .1 will say; P.e obedient honest truthful sober and industrious. Honour your parents, fear God and honour the King.” Mr \v. g. Bishop, chairman of the School Committee, and also a member of the executive of the R.S.A . a t~ dressed his remarks more to the general public, stressing the need for being prepared to defend our country against aggression. He also spoke on to carry through to victory. These were the characteristic? which were brought forth by the camaraderie of the m-'-n in the trenches. Mv earnest desire i* to see children always tore-, the remembrance of the men who had died, and the lessons to he learned ] from their whrde-hearfed devotion to j duty. “They should not look upon these men.” he said, “as dead. gone before:,and a? ones whom they would meet on a future dav " He el-o extended general thank? to all those who had fHsisrwj with H t e preparation*. Aft* T.e-ter. TNvir. then sounded the] ■das- Post.” impressively, the solan 1 r.o;e, bringing ba.-k vividly to raanv r occasions when it was eon ■ ir ■■■■■■ peaceful surrounding?