A moving Anzac service was held at the street memorial that stands in Carlton Gore Road between St Barnabas Church and Roseneath School on Saturday April 25.

The service began with the national anthem in Maori and English, followed by the famous Isaiah verse which concludes "nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."

The minister of St Barnabas, Stephen King, gave an address about keeping connections alive. Then poppies plus the

names of those on the memorial were laid during the reading of the Roll of Honour. Floral tributes on behalf of Roseneath School, St Barnabas Church and the Roseneath Residents Association were also laid.

John McCrae's verse In Flanders Field was read by Roger Wilson. Brendan Agnew played the Last Post and LtCol Mark Ogilvie read The Commemoration, before the Reveille sounded towards the end of the service. Nearly 100 people attended.

It is thought that Dr John McCrae (1872–1918) began the draft for In Flanders Fields on the evening of 2 May, 1915, in the second week of fighting during the battle of Ypres. It is believed that the death of his friend, Lieutenant Alexis Helmer, was the inspiration for the poem. The memorial is one of only two suburban-street memorials in Wellington. It was unveiled on 10 November, 1917 — the first permanent memorial in Wellington to those who died in World War I. It is inscribed with the names of Roseneath School old boys who died during the war. There is also a memorial board in St Barnabas Church to those who died in World War II.

The first Anzac service at the memorial was held five years ago. It has become a regular and popular event each year.

JCD, Bay View newsletter 65, May 2015