Rarotonga is gearing up to mark Anzac Day with the annual dawn parade to be held in front of the cenotaph at the Ministry of Justice building on Thursday morning at 5am.

Anzac Day commemorates the contributions of the Australian and New Zealand armed forces. It marks the anniversary of their first major military action during the First World War.

“The Cook Islands have a history of volunteering,” said Gail Eraio, a board member of the Cook Islands Returned Services Association (RSA).

Eraio said many young Cook Islands men enlisted in the First World War, with some families even sending two or three sons.

“The Cook Islands have a history of volunteering military-wise. Those boys placed the groundwork for the future in more ways than one,” she said.

Eraio is a war baby. Her father, Colin Kehely, left for the Second World War when she was only nine months old.

“He was in the tanks based in Italy… he was lucky to come home,” said Eraio.

“This is what Anzac Day means for me, the fact that my dad came home. I think that’s why a lot of people my age carry on the tradition.”

Following the dawn parade, members will have breakfast at the Returned Services Association in Nikao.

The Rarotonga Girl Guides will be at the RSA to help out, “it’s absolutely wonderful to have them, and we have had ‘Rotaract’ too for a long time helping us out”.

Meanwhile, members of the Victor 4 Company, who served in Vietnam from 1969 to 1970, are currently visiting Rarotonga. The veterans and their families will be conducting a memorial service this morning at the RSA in Nikao and will have an acknowledgment of the servicemen and servicewomen of the Cook Islands.

Four Cook Islanders served with Victor 4 Company: PTE “Padre” Tairea (42420), PTE “Charlie” Tangiia (42432), PTE “Bill” Framhein (721362), and SGT “Theo” Marama (539360).

Whanganui was the first city in New Zealand to hold a dawn service in 1936.

According to the Whanganui Chronicle, this year the Whanganui Returned and Services Association (RSA) dawn service has been moved to a 7am start to accommodate the wellbeing of older veterans.

The 2024 RSA Committee members are: President – Peter Wichman, vice president – Sam Puati Samuel, secretary – Lyall Wichman, treasurer – John Hinto, committee members – Gail Eraio, Diane Wright, Tom Anas, and Wayne Barclay.