The young, the old, and everyone in between descended on Wellington's War Memorial this morning to mark a century since the first Anzac Day commemoration.
Thousands came to see the pomp and ceremony of this year's national commemoration service. Defence Force representatives, ambassadors and politicians laid wreaths to honour those Australian and New Zealand soldiers who died during the course of World War I.
(Simon Wong / Newshub.)
The stories of Gallipoli and the Western Front were the focus of this year's services as well as the beginning of what is now a century-old tradition in honouring the war dead.
"Today, we recall how the Gallipoli veterans -- maimed and unable to return to the battlefield -- made the first Anzac Day happen. They had called for a day of national mourning to honour their mates, who had trained with them, fought alongside them, and died beside them," Governor-General Sir Jerry Mateparae said.
(Simon Wong / Newshub.)
"They called for a public service so that people could come together in large numbers in an act of remembrance. Their call was answered.
(Simon Wong / Newshub.)
"It is difficult to imagine the depth of sorrow, shock and distress of those who attended. For many, the Anzac Day ceremony was a funeral service for their loved ones, as the remains of most of the 2779 men who died in Gallipoli were in un-named or unmarked graves, or buried at sea, halfway around the world."
Today, people came to stand in silent reflection to do just what those Gallipoli veterans hoped for -- to remember the fallen, their family, friends, comrades -- who served as Anzacs and who never returned.
(Simon Wong / Newshub.)
Even Wellington's wind fell silent during the service, the silence pierced by haunting hymns and a Royal New Zealand Air Force flypast of two T-6C Texan II from the No14 Squadron.
Sir Jerry, a former soldier himself, acknowledged the Chinese Anzacs who fought alongside their brothers, including Kiwi-Chinese soldier Private James George Paterson who was among the first to die at Gallipoli.
(Simon Wong / Newshub.)
He remembered his own links to the war, with both his grandfathers serving on the Western Front, one had survived Gallipoli. Both were wounded and medically discharged before the end of the war.
Prime Minister John Key said New Zealand paid a high price during WWI.
Prime Minister John Key (Simon Wong / Newshub.)
"More than 18,000 New Zealanders lost their lives, leaving few families unaffected," he said.
"The First World War helped shape our nation and our shared values."
(Simon Wong / Newshub.)
This year is also the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan in the Vietnam War, and the 75th anniversary of the Battle for Crete in World War II.
(Simon Wong / Newshub.)
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