Speech at the Manurewa RSA Remembrance Day service

Convenor, Jim Perry, veterans and guests:

Today we remember the end of what used to be known as the Great War - the war to end wars. When the guns finally fell silent at 11am on 11 November 1918, a generation of young men had been decimated, nations and governments had fallen, the map of greater Europe was redrawn - and the seeds of an even greater conflict had been sown.

For New Zealand, our involvement in World War 1 was a watershed in how we saw ourselves as a nation, and how others saw us as a nation. The reputation forged by our fighting forces on the hills of Gallipoli, in the trenches of the Western Front and in countless other theatres on land and at sea, positioned us as a country that could be counted on, and one that would not shrink in the face of adversity.

This reputation was earned the hard way. Our forbears paid a heavy price. Engraved on memorials, and in community halls and churches throughout New Zealand, rolls of honour bear silent witness to the sacrifice made.

Nowhere was this sacrifice greater than on the Western Front, where the New Zealand Division was in the vanguard of some of the bloodiest fighting of the war. 12 October 1917 stands out in particular. On this date, attacking as part of an ANZAC corps towards the village of Passchendaele, 846 New Zealanders died. Over the next fortnight, a further 138 succumbed to injuries received on that day. The attack was a failure.

Stretcher-bearer Linus Ryan, present at the battle, summarised it like this: "Our citizen soldiers faced impossible odds. They knew what they were up against. They saw death staring them in the face - they saw no possible chance of success and with unfaltering courage, officers and men walked to their deaths, because it was their job."

History records that their sacrifice was ultimately not in vain. Just 13 months later, the Allied armies had reached the climax of the three-month offensive that destroyed the German grip on the Western Front and led to their collapse and defeat. Once again, the New Zealanders were at the forefront. Although important lessons had been learned, these victories were still paid for in blood.

It is a story of courage, commitment, comradeship and integrity. These values still stand today as the core principles of the New Zealand Defence Force. Yesterday's soldiers would not recognise the tools and techniques of their successors in the 21st century. But they would recognise that spirit in the men and women in the modern Army and the other Services. Those values have passed through the generations, and are kept close to the hearts of today's service people.

Those dark days of the Western Front are behind us. Yet we have learned from them, and do not underestimate the importance of a highly-trained professional Defence Force that is ready to face any situation.

The importance of this was reinforced just a few days ago. Soldiers of our Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan were suddenly attacked whilst on patrol. They immediately returned fire, and secured the area. Their mission may be one of nation-building, but they are trained and prepared for immediate action. We know that they are in a dangerous theatre, and we are giving them everything they need to carry out their mission.

This is just one of what is a series of ongoing deployments around the world. In the past few months, we have continued our deployments to Timor-Leste and the Solomons. We have redeployed the SAS to Afghanistan. We have had Navy divers assisting in the Tongan ferry tragedy. Less than 24 hours after the tsunami struck Samoa, we had Defence Force personnel in-country helping with aid and recovery. Orions provided on-the-spot intelligence and searched for survivors, C130s and 757s flew in people and supplies. Two Iroquois helicopters and their crews were airlifted up within a couple of days, and gave invaluable support. HMNZS Canterbury took up further heavy equipment and reconstruction materials.

The impressive thing about the above list of actions is that they all happened at the same time. We do not know when disaster will strike. We cannot always predict when our forces will be needed in a combat zone. What we do know is that we need flexible and effective people and capabilities to respond to events as they arise. 

The current Defence Review is considering all these possibilities. It has been 12 years since the last Review, and the world has changed a lot over that time. We have to think ahead - not just over the next few years, but about what our requirements might be over the next 20 years. The objective of the Review is simple - to retain and enhance the capabilities we use. This will allow New Zealand to continue to take a lead in our region, and be a valued partner in combined operations. 

There has also been excellent progress in defence co-operation with Australia. Their recent White Paper made particular reference to the importance of the relationship between our two countries. A result of this will be the development of more joint capabilities, especially in the Pacific region. It is pleasing to see that the spirit of comradeship that was so evident in those ANZAC operations over 90 years ago is alive and well today.

Six years ago, Rifleman Bright Williams passed away. He was the last survivor of the 100,000-plus New Zealanders who served overseas during the Great War. He was wounded in the great Passchendaele struggle that I referred to earlier, but survived the war and came back to resume civilian life. Bright and his colleagues have gone, but their legacy is as strong today as ever.

Today, as we reflect on those times, and the armistice that finally brought an end to the conflict - we will remember them.