Tinui’s first Anzac Day, 1916

Timeline

Government announces Gallipoli anniversary

In April 1916 the New Zealand Government declared that the 25th of April would be a ‘half-holiday’ to mark the first anniversary of the Gallipoli landings. The government proposed church services, but returned servicemen made it plain that they would rather have a public service, led by an army chaplain. 

The Rev. Basil Ashcroft, Vicar of Tinui. 05-39/104-12-5 

Tinui Vicar, the Rev. Basil Ashcroft, noted in his Easter 1916 newsletter to parishioners that on Tuesday, 25th April (St Mark’s Day and ANZAC Day), a Service of Solemn Memorial and Intercessions would be held at 3 pm. 

Also in April, Anglican bishops decreed that ‘early communion’ would be held on St Mark’s Day, 25 April 1916, in all Anglican churches throughout New Zealand. 

At 7.30 am on St Mark’s Day and Anzac Day, Mr Ashcroft - in common with all Anglican churches across New Zealand - conducted a service of Holy Communion in the Church of the Good Shepherd, Tinui, with 11 communicants. This was not an Anzac Day service, although it is likely that those who attended it went to the afternoon Anzac Memorial Service in the Tinui Town Hall. 

Since the 1980s misunderstandings have arisen over the 7.30 am communion service held in the Church of the Good Shepherd. 

Evidence from multiple sources confirm the 7.30 am service was not the first Anzac service in New Zealand. There were 'early communion' services held in every Anglican church across New Zealand. 

The Tinui Anzac Day service was held at 3 pm at the Tinui Town Hall.

Tinui's Memorial Cross appears to be the first such memorial erected in New Zealand. 

Tinui Scouts mark Anzac Day 

At 9 am on the morning of 25 April 1916, the Tinui Scouts, under the leadership of Vicar Basil Ashcroft, assembled on the road below the Tinui Town Hall. 

A Union Jack flag, won at auction the previous year by Mr C F Vallance, was presented to the children of Tinui and unfurled at the Town Hall. 

Bugler Hancock, of the 13th Reinforcements, on final leave from Featherston Military Camp, “sounded the salute,” after which the National Anthem God save the King was sung. 

After this ceremony, morning tea was provided for the scouts at Tinui Station, the home of Mr and Mrs Maunsell.


Memorial cross erected on Tinui Taipo

The Rev. Basil Ashcroft, Vicar of Tinui, came up with the idea of putting a memorial cross on the Tinui Taipo, overlooking Tinui Village.

After morning tea at Tinui Station, the scouts and other people from Tinui (10 men, seven women and 24 children), made the trek to the top of the Tinui Taipo, everyone carrying sections of the memorial cross, which was then erected at the top in memory of those who lost their lives in the Gallipoli campaign. The cross was made of 4" x 4" jarrah, faced with galvanised iron.

Once the cross was erected, everyone put their name in a bottle which was buried at the foot of the cross. Bugler Hancock played the Last Post and God save the King was sung. Research indicates this memorial cross was the first Anzac memorial erected in New Zealand.


Tinui's first Anzac Service

At 3 pm on the afternoon of the first Anzac Day, the Tinui Anzac Service--"a service of solemn memorial and intercessions"--was held in the Town Hall, conducted by the Rev. Basil Ashcroft.

During this service the names of those whose lives had been lost during the war were read. Miss Edith Langdon played the Dead March from Handel's oratorio Saul. Bugler Hancock once again played the Last Post and God save the King. 

Newspaper account of the first Tinui/Tenui Anzac Day, 1916

On April 25th, Anzac Day, the Union Jack, which was auctioned at Tenui last July, and finally purchased by Mr C. F. Vallance, who presented it to the Tenui schoolchildren, was unfurled at the Tenui Hall.

The Scouts were drawn up on the road facing it, and Bugler Hancock, of the 13th. Reinforcements, who is home on final leave from the Featherston Camp, sounded the salute, after which the National Anthem was sung.

The Scouts afterwards proceeded to Mr Maunsell's residence, where they were provided with morning tea. Three cheers were then given for Mr and Mrs Maunsell. Mr Maunsell thanked the Scouts for their attendance, and said The hoped they would be present next year, and that there would be more of them. He also praised the Rev. Ashcroft for organising the Scouts in this district.

A large cross was then erected on the top of a rocky hill called "The Taipos," overlooking Tenui. About 50 people were prosent at the ceremony, and everybody present wrote his or her name on a piece of paper, which was placed in a bottle and buried at the foot of the cross. Bugler Hancock then sounded "The Last Post," and the first verse of the National Anthem was sung.

In the afternoon, the Rev. Ashcroft preached a memorial service in the hall, during which the names of those who had fallen from this district were read. 

Miss E. Langdon played the Dead March in Saul," on the organ, and "The Last Post" was again sounded on the bugle, and the National Anthem again sung.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 16 April 1916, page 3

Residents of Tinui assembled at the top of the Tinui Taipo, in front of the newly-erected memorial cross, 25 April 1916

Tinui residents and scouts assembled in front of the newly-erected memorial cross on Tinui Taipo, 25 April 1916.  01-25/108 

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