Speech to mark the 50th Anniversary of the Temuka RSA Clubrooms

Mayor Janie Annear, Parliamentary colleague Jo Goodhew and Labour candidate Julian Blanchard, Royal New Zealand Returned Services’ Association National President Robin Klitscher, Canterbury District RSA President BJ Clark, Temuka RSA President David Geddes, veterans, ladies and gentlemen, it’s a pleasure for my wife Mary and I to be invited here today to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the opening of the Temuka RSA clubrooms. 

We are also celebrating the completion of the first stage of the Club’s refurbishment – which looks really good and I understand was all done by volunteer labour.

The second and third stages will see the refurbishment of the bar and kitchen, which I am sure all members are looking forward to.

I also want to acknowledge the veterans who are here today and to thank you for your service to New Zealand.

These clubrooms were opened on this day in 1958 by the then Labour Minister of Defence, the Hon Philip Connolly and I would like to acknowledge and welcome his two daughters who are attending here today.

While the building is 50 years old, the Temuka RSA is much older.

Founded in 1916, and officially affiliated to the NZRSA in August 1918, the Temuka RSA was one of many small-town associations which were formed as the first wounded soldiers were repatriated home from Gallipoli.

The first President was Warne Pearse, brother of aviator and local hero Richard Pearse.

A Woman’s Section was added in 1942, which has since played a leading role in the provision of welfare services for veterans and their families, in addition to the traditional functions of organising Poppy Day and other fundraising activities.

The first RSAs were established to raise awareness of the needs of returned soldiers, and to advocate for their rehabilitation. Very quickly, their advocacy extended to ensuring that the many thousands who were killed were appropriately honoured, and that those they left behind were supported.

This was a huge task. Like most small towns around New Zealand, Temuka lost many of its young men at Gallipoli and on the Western Front.

Looking at the Temuka War Memorial, one of the things which struck me was the number who were killed in the First World War – 114 – and that many shared the same surnames.

One surname in particular - Carr - appears four times.

Temuka lost a further 43 young men in the Second World War. As a small town no family would have been untouched by these losses. This once again placed the RSA at the centre of your community.

Together with the 130,000 other RSA members throughout New Zealand, you continue to support and honour those who have given so much to this country.

This is reflected in your healthy membership of 450 and is also reflected in your long record of service to this community.

The Christmas parcels you deliver every year to widows of veterans are welcome and help ensure that those who live alone remain connected to the community.

I know that New Zealand Defence Force personnel serving overseas on peacekeeping operations also appreciate receiving the RSA Christmas parcels, which your club supports.

The Temuka RSA also offers a ‘Pension run’ on ‘Pension Day’ which takes members to the local shops and supermarket. You also provide transport for those members with hospital and specialist appointments in Timaru or Christchurch.

Life membership of the Temuka RSA has recently been extended to veterans of JFOR, KFOR and Malaya. I understand Vietnam veterans will shortly receive the same honour.
The Government is also working with Vietnam veterans to implement a Memorandum of Understanding addressing their specific concerns and those of their families. Considerable progress has been made.
This year Tribute 08 recognised the contribution Vietnam veterans made during the War, as well as their experience in the years following. It was an opportunity for us to say thank you and to belatedly welcome those veterans home.
It was also an opportunity for us to remember the thirty-seven servicemen who did not return.
Temuka’s ex-servicemen have a proud and distinguished history.

Lance Corporal Jack Prattley was awarded the Military Medal for bravery for attacking a German Machine Gun post on the Western Front and Corporal Henry Barrett was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for courage and devotion to duty during the attack at Pascussio Ridge in 1943.

And New Zealand’s most decorated soldier, Captain Charles Upham VC, while not a resident of Temuka, attended school six kilometres north in Winchester and was a son of South Canterbury.

I know that all of you here today will be very pleased that the 96 medals stolen from the Waiouru Army Museum in December, including Charles Upham’s VC and Bar, will be returned to the Museum in October where they will once again go on display for all New Zealanders.

A total of 21 Victoria Crosses and one Bar have been awarded to
New Zealanders. The award last year of the Victoria Cross to Corporal Willie Apiata was the first Victoria Cross for New Zealand to be awarded since it was instituted in 1999.

It was also the first VC awarded to a member of the New Zealand Defence Force since 1946.

Like those New Zealanders before him, Willie Apiata earned the Victoria Cross for his outstanding courage and selflessness.

In Afghanistan in 2004, he carried a wounded comrade across broken, rocky and fire swept ground, fully exposed to heavy enemy fire and into the face of returning fire from the main Troop.

That neither he nor his colleague was hit was remarkable.

On delivering his wounded comrade to relative safety, Willie Apiata rejoined the fight and counter-attacked.

Earlier this year, in another example of selfless behaviour, he donated his VC to be held by the NZSAS in trust on behalf of the nation.

His decision to donate his medal and not seek material reward from it is hugely generous. It ensures that his VC is protected for the future generations of New Zealanders.

Finally, a few words about the New Zealand Defence Force.

Under the Defence Long-Term Development Plan and the Defence Sustainability Initiative, the Government has committed over $8 billion to building capability and growing personnel numbers.

New and upgraded equipment has been introduced across all three Services. This includes seven new ships under Project Protector, the last of which, the Taupo, was launched and named last weekend.

The Air Force has on order new state of the art helicopters, valued at more than $900 million. All of the aircraft in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, including the C-130s P3s and Boeing 757s are being modernised and upgraded. The army has been re-equipped with modern light armoured and light operational vehicles.

The Defence Force has grown by nearly 1,000 personnel since June 2005.

Currently, New Zealand faces few conventional military threats to its own security.
But we live in an uncertain world, with new threats such as terrorism and failed states. New Zealand continues to meet its responsibilities as a good international citizen, helping create a more secure and stable world.

We play a vital role in our immediate neighbourhood, providing security, stability and conflict resolution in the Pacific region.

Today those in the armed services continue your proud tradition. Over 400 New Zealanders are currently serving overseas on peace support operations, the bulk on these in Afghanistan, Timor-Leste and Solomon Islands. The frigate HMNZS Te Mana is also returning from a four-month operation in the Arabian Gulf.

The men and women who currently make up our Defence Force appreciate that in the cities and small towns throughout the country there is a place which recognises and honours their service.

They are also aware that at some point in the future it will fall to them to continue the type of work which you have all performed from this building over the previous 50 years.
Thank you once again for the opportunity to be with you on this occasion to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the opening the clubrooms, and its refurbishment.