Ron Mark MP
Spokesperson for Defence
5 APRIL 2015

GOVERNMENT SNUBS LT COL WILLIAM MALONE’S BAND FROM ANZAC DAY 2015

New Zealand First is to protest to the Prime Minister after discovering that the volunteer 7th Battalion Band, the drums of which carry battle honours from Gallipoli including Chunuk Bair, has been shunted aside for Wellington’s Centennial ANZAC Day Dawn Ceremony.

“This is an outrageous slur given the Wellington Battalion landed at Gallipoli over 25/26 April but it will be the Air Force Band playing on Gallipoli’s Centennial,” says Ron Mark, New Zealand First Defence spokesperson.

“This unbelievable decision means the now volunteer band of the Wellington Battalion will not play at Dawn on the Centennial of the Gallipoli landings. This breaks more than 70 years of continuous service playing in support of Wellington’s Dawn Commemoration.

“New Zealand First is going right to the top to the Chief of Defence Force and to the Prime Minister over this appalling snub. Sadly with the Prime Minister it is the same man who wishes to axe the flag our brave men carried with them to Gallipoli.

“As possibly the only MP to be a registered supporter of the RNZAF Band I support them but this is not their gig. The Royal Air Force wasn’t formed as a separate force until April 1918 with the RNZAF standing up in 1923.

“It will be like getting the Navy Band to play on the centennial of the Battle of Britain.

“This is the problem with the current administration of government and armed forces. They don’t know their history nor would it appear, respect it. Malone’s Battalion Band must be heard at dawn on the Centennial of ANZAC Day,” Mr Mark said.

ENDS

© Scoop Media