I have a number of war memorial themed geocaches around Otago/Southland. I set them up because for me remembrance is not about glorifying war. Rather, it's about reflecting on its horror, its sacrifices and hoping never again. "Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
The Anderson Bay Cemetery is the largest in Dunedin, and as such one of the largest in the South Island. In existence by 1867, the cemetery was the city's main burial site from the early twentieth century until the 1980s.The crematorium, opened in 1927, is still in use, so please be aware at this location there are funerals taking place.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), as part of its mandate, is responsible for commemorating all Commonwealth war dead individually and equally. To this end, the war dead are commemorated by a name on a headstone, at an identified site of a burial, or on a memorial. War dead are commemorated uniformly and equally, irrespective of military or civil rank, race or creed.
The commission is currently responsible for the continued commemoration of 1.7 million deceased Commonwealth military service members in 153 countries. At this location the commission helped arrange this area to commemorate World War New Zealand servicemen cremated here.
The cache is a short distance away (less than 15min walk from GZ there are paths to the hide location, which will not require you to cross graves). Remember to bring your own pen/pencil to sign the log, as the one in the container can go missing. Photo logs will not be accepted.
You can find the cache at;
South 45 AB.CDF East 170° VW.XYZ
Where you can find the answers to the following questions on headstones/plaques (walking 2 adjacent rows, GZ takes you to the first, D rating reflects the search but don't over think it). Remember there are headstones on both sides and please stick to the grass paths when searching. A= 1, B= 2
AF = James L. Darling died aged AFyrs.
B = J.W. Young has service number B6637.
C = W. McConnachie has service number C5974.
D = Number value of the missing intial of J.?. (Steve) Steven.
V = Number of missing letters W.D. (?) Miller. Died 1987.
W = D. Gallagher died in 1971. What is the number inside of the cross at the bottom of the memorial plaque?
X = P.G. Homer died at age X8 years.
Y = John W. Fleming NZ Engineers died in year 19Y0.
Z = Number value of the first name intial of ?. Dobbie. 1st NZEF Field Artillery. Died 1970.
Check A+B+C+D+F+V+W+X+Y+Z = 39
When I was in the UK I came across the war memoral series, which uses the same theme as their micro church series; https://www.warmemorialseries.co.uk/ . I delayed publishing this multi from recent adenture lab along the same theme, as I was hoping this series creators were opening this series to outside of the UK. The answer was sadly no, they were only keeping it to UK. Maybe something we can do in NZ, but unfortunately right now I don't have the time.
If you are intrested in knowing where other war memorials are located in Otago you can find them at https://nzhistory.govt.nz/map/otago-memorials
The red poppy has become a symbol of war remembrance the world over. People in many countries wear the poppy to remember those who died in war or are serving in the armed forces. In many countries, the poppy is worn on Armistice Day (11 November), but in New Zealand it is most commonly seen on Anzac Day, 25 April – as it marks the anniversary of the landing of New Zealand and Australian troops, popularly known as Anzacs (the acronym for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps), on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey in 1915. While the campaign ended in military defeat, it is widely claimed that the Gallipoli experience helped foster a sense of nationhood in both New Zealand and Australia.
A half-day holiday for 25 April was gazetted to allow everyone to attend the remembrance. A typical commemoration begins with a pre-dawn march, a short service follows, with a prayer, hymns and a dedication that concludes with the fourth verse of Laurence Binyon's ‘For the fallen’:
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
The last post is then played as the sky starts to light up with the first rays of the sun, followed by a minute's silence and the reveille. The service concludes with a prayer and the singing of the national anthem.