The Last Post will sound for the first time this Anzac Day at Canterbury’s newest war memorial, in the township of Lincoln.
Lincoln has never had a war memorial of its own before and consequently formal Anzac Day ceremonies have never been held in the township.
That situation has now been rectified thanks to the dedication of a committee of two Lincoln residents, air force veterans Gordon Habgood and Vernon Clark, who mobilised local support and sentiment for the project, which has been 12 months in preparation.
In the recent construction of a new Event Centre at Lincoln, which will become a focus of community activity, the pair saw an opportunity to have a war memorial located in its precincts, thus giving Lincoln something almost every other town possesses.
Gordon and Vernon, both members of the Springs Sub-Branch of Christchurch RSA, had the enthusiastic support of the Lincoln Event Centre Management Committee for the proposal.
The chosen site is a grassed area between the northern end of the Event Centre and the local rugby club rooms, adjacent to the northern car park. The memorial is a stone wall with inscribed plaques and flagpoles at each end. There are 13 names on it. The design is by Christchurch landscape architect Grant Edge, a Lincoln University alumnus who also teaches into the University’s landscape programmes. The stonework is by Rod Thomson of Fire and Stone Ltd.
The new memorial will be dedicated at Lincoln township’s first official public Anzac Day Service on Monday starting at 1.00pm. Members of the public are cordially invited to attend.
The Mayor of Selwyn Kelvin Coe, and Selwyn MP Amy Adams will be present and the Chaplain for the day will be the Rev. Kim Peters of Lincoln Baptist Church. RSA Presidents from Christchurch, Ellesmere, Paparoa, and Springs Sub-Branch will be there too along with the Chair of the Event Centre, Alan Stevens, the Chair of the Lincoln Community Committee, Ivy Harper, the Assistant Principal of Lincoln High School, Brigid Hopkinson, and Professor Hirini Matunga, representing Lincoln University where Anzac Day services have been held in recent years in The Memorial Hall, now earthquake damaged.
The Master of Ceremonies will be Squadron Leader Gordon Habgood, the Parade Marshal will be Vernon Clark ONZM and the traditional Ode will be recited by Group Captain Bill Barnes.
After the dedication members of the public are invited to the new Baptist Church Hall, Birchs Road, for the remainder of the Anzac service and afternoon tea.