ARMISTICE Day was commemorated in a small ceremony at the Te Kūiti war memorial on November 11, at 11am.
WREATHS were laid, the ode was said and the last post played, marking Armistice Day at the Te Kūiti war memorial last Friday. The eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month was also marked with a single note of the Te Kūiti fire station siren. It marks the official end of the first world war, ‘the war to end wars’ in 1918. The small Armistice Day service at Te Kūiti’s Cenotaph was organised by Te Kūiti RSA, and supported by Waitomo District Council. Deputy mayor Allan Goddard placed a wreath on behalf of the council to acknowledge the service men and women who served New Zealand during WWI. The finish of WWI wasn’t a single event. According to New Zealand History it was a series of rolling celebrations. Bulgaria surrendered first, signing an armistice with the Allies on September 29 1918. News of its surrender spread through New Zealand on the morning of Tuesday October 1. New Zealanders celebrated, expecting Turkey to surrender soon after Bulgaria. The Ottoman Empire signed an armistice on October 30. The news reached New Zealand on November 1, a Friday. New Zealanders again celebrated. Children were granted a half-holiday and the government suggested that everyone take the afternoon off. All government offices closed in celebration and Parliament adjourned until Tuesday November 5. Auckland’s celebrations of the Turkish surrender were dampened by the arrival of the second wave of the influenza pandemic. Public celebrations were deferred. Influenza was also rife in military training camps. On November 3 the Austro-Hungarian Empire signed an armistice with the Allies. The news arrived in New Zealand at around lunchtime the next day, a Monday. The government again suggested that people take the afternoon off and instructed its offices to close. The government received news of the armistice with Germany late on the evening of November 11. By the early hours it had leaked out to a few people – Prime Minister William Massey was treated to cheers and songs about 2am. But the first most knew was when he officially released it later that morning. He arranged for the message ‘Armistice signed’ to go to the country’s post and telegraph offices shortly before 9am. While the country was celebrating, Auckland was the exception. Acting chief health officer Dr Joseph Frengley, postponed all official armistice celebrations in a bid to stop the further spread of influenza. He had been alarmed at the large crowds which had gathered after a premature declaration on November 8. Despite the precautions, 1128 Aucklanders died from the influenza pandemic.
