Anzac Day brings residents of Auckland street together during time of 'turmoil and uncertainty'

April 25, 2020

Ruth Jackson, who organised her street’s dawn service, says it was important for her to still mark the day despite Covid-19 restrictions.

With Anzac Day services cancelled around the country due to Covid-19, communities around the country are still wanting to mark the occasion and honour the New Zealand servicemen and women who've died in war.

So, residents of one street in the Auckland suburb of Beach Haven rose at dawn to say a karakia, play the Last Post and take their time to remember the fallen while standing at their gates.

John Wakelin read the poem at the gate of Settlers Lifestyle Village in Albany.

The service’s organiser Ruth Jackson told 1 NEWS Anzac Day had always been special for her family and that she’s never missed a service.

“This year, we clearly can’t do that, we can’t do what we normally do and go to the places we’d normally go,” she said.

“We honour their legacy by doing what we’re doing today.”

Wellington’s Pukeahu War Memorial Park and Auckland War Memorial Museum were much quieter than on a normal Anzac Day.

Ms Jackson started by chalking her fence with Laurence Binyon's poem For the Fallen.

“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old,” it reads. She also added photos of her grandfather and two great uncles who served in World War I and crosses to the fence. Only her grandfather survived the war.

She then started getting comments from her neighbours.

“I thought it would be lovely to do something to mark the occasion,” Ms Jackson said. 

“People are getting out in force, which is wonderful.”

The way the day has been commemorated in lockdown has received high praise from those who gave so much.

She added: “This is a time of community. It’s a time of turmoil and uncertainty. These are things we have not faced before.”

Please send landscape video of how you are commemorating Anzac Day to news@tvnz.co.nz


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