SACRED MEMORIES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22313, 24 April 1947, Page 6

SACRED MEMORIES

SALUTE TO FALLEN ANZAC DAY SERVICES EARLIER YEARS FOLLOWED Recognised now as a day of commemoration of the sacrifices of New Zealand and Australia in particular, in both the World Wars. Anzac Day will be celebrated to-morrow, the thirtysecond anniversary of the landing of the Dominions;’ troops on the Gallipoli Peninsula in 1915. Observances of the ’ anniversary will be conducted in almost all the major settlements of the Gisborne-East Coast district as well as in Gisborne itself, in common with the rest of the Dominion. The Gisborne service will take place as usual at the War Memorial in the Kaiti esplanade at 10 a.m., and will be preceded by a parade of returned service men and women of all wars. This parade will assemble at Fitzherbert street at 9.30 a.m., and markers will be called at 9.35. the fall-in following at 9.40 a.m. The memorial- service will be conducted by the Rev. J. Kingsley Fairburn on behalf of the Gisborne Ministers’ Association, and the address will be given by (lie Rev. J. G. B. Talbot, late chaplain to the forces. The executive of the Gishorne Returned Services’ Association has asked all ex-service people to make an effort to attend the service and to take part in the parade, by way of tribute to fallen comrades. The occasion is one for the wearing of decorations and service medals, or the equivalent in service ribbons where the medals have not yet been issued. Wreath-Laying Ceremonies In order to limit the length of the service, mainly in consideration of the vounger people taking part, the ceremony of laying wreaths will be restricted to the tendering of official tributes on behalf of the R.S.A., town and country local bodies, and the services. It is not intended to discourage the laying of private tributes, but the executive has suggested that private individuals and organisations other than those taking part in (he official wreathlaying should place their emblems at the foot of the memorial either before the service or immediately thereafter. Representatives of the association will be at hand to assist, where necessary in placing these tributes. The customary service at the Soldiers' Plot at the Taruheru cemetery will be conducted by the Women's National Reserve on the afternoon of Anzac Day, when Canon Hall will give the address. The order of this service includes the laying of sprays of flowers upon the individual graves, with sprigs of rosemary for remembrance. The servicemen’s own special tribute to the fallen will aga'n take the form of a dawn parade and stand-to, scheduled for 5.45 a.m. at the foot of the district War Memorial. Attendances at this annual gathering have increased steadily in recent years, and many exservice people of the Kiwi group have made a practice of joining the Diggers who originated the dawn assembly. Out-of-Town Fixtures District fixtures for Anzac Day include the following:— Ruatoria. —Parade called at 10.30 a.m.; service at Gaiety Theatre, 10.30 a.m.; annual meeting of Ruatoria R.S.A. to follow the service. Tokomaru Bay.—Memorial service at Te Puka Hall at 2.30 p.m.. address by the Rev. W. McSkimming. Tolaga Bay.—Annual meeting of Tolaga Bay R.S.A. at Hauiti Hall at 10.30 a.m.; service at Memorial Gates, Tolaga Bay Domain, at 2 p.m., address by the Rev. W. Bird. Te Karaka.—Parade at 1.45 p.m.; service at Waikohu Memorial at 2 p.m.; annual meeting of the Waikohu R.S.A. to follow the service. Matawai-Motu.—Service at Matawai Hall, 11 a.m., address by the Rev. P. H. Blakiston. Special religious services arranged in Gisborne for the morning of Anzac Day include Holy Communion at Holy Trinity, at 8 o'clock, and a requiem mass for the fallen, to Ido celebrated at St. Mary's at 9 o’clock.