By Huang Xingwei
Tens of thousands of New Zealanders braved at-times wet and windy weather on Saturday to remember fallen ancestors at a series of Anzac Day services throughout the country.
In large cities and small towns, people turned out to listen to ceremonies and dedications remembering the sacrifice of New Zealanders at wars.
People attending the ceremonies were asked to remember both those who landed at Gallipoli, Turkey on April 25, 1915, and those who had fought for New Zealand in wars right from the Boer War in South Africa in 1899 through to the Afghanistan conflict today.
In Wellington, on the 94th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings, Prime Minister John Key joined military officials, veterans, their families and members of the public at a remembrance ceremony at the Wellington Cenotaph.
He said those Anzacs who landed at Gallipoli in Turkey could not have foreseen how their actions there would become so embedded in the national consciousness.
"Perhaps it was because it was at Gallipoli that we encountered the very worst that war could throw at us, because we got through with honor and our humanity intact," he said.
Of the 8,500 New Zealanders who served at Gallipoli, about 2500were killed during the nine-month campaign.
"We salute their willingness to fight to preserve our freedoms and humanitarian ideals. We salute their willingness to meet adversity with courage and honor," Key said.
"They were everyday people who rose to the heights of sacrifice and in doing so preserved the living standards of us all for generations to come. They fought for each and every one of us. They fought for New Zealand and they fought for the world."
Thousands attended the service at the cenotaph in the Auckland Domain despite wet and windy weather. Many in the crowd were young children.
In Hamilton, veterans marched across the bridge to Memorial Park where about 3,000 attended the service beside the floodlit cenotaph.
A contingent of World War II veterans led the dawn parade into Cathedral Square in Christchurch. More than 8,000 people packed the square for the service led by Canterbury Malayan Veteran's Association President Paul Tau.
Air Force planes flew over the tiny Wairarapa township of Tinuiwhere New Zealand's first Anzac commemoration service was held in 1916.
More than 300 people, including several veterans and 65 Air Force representatives were at the wreath-laying ceremony. Altogether 48 people from Tinui lost their lives in the two world wars.
New Zealanders around the world paid tribute on Saturday with troops in the Solomon Islands and Afghanistan holding ceremonies.
Governor-General Sir Anand Satyanand spoke at the ceremony in Gallipoli which was also attended by cabinet minister Judith Collins.
Foreign Minister Murray McCully commemorated Anzac Day with NewZealand Defense Force personnel serving in Afghanistan's Bamyan province.
Source: Xinhua
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