Former Chatto Creek Tavern owner Lesley Middlemass has been waiting more than a decade for a proper RSA Anzac Day service at the pub featuring the 25-pounder cannon.

Today that patience will pay off with the gun featuring in a special Anzac Day service at the country pub following official commemorations in Alexandra.

Lesley will even get the honour of firing the cannon.

The tavern has hosted its own community Anzac Day event for many years, and when new publicans Fiona and Grant Sutherland took over the business in 2020, it was one of the conditions of sale.

“She wasn’t going to sell it to just anyone. So we’ve always kept up with the traditions, like duck shooting, etc,” Fiona said.

In 2015, an oak tree was planted onsite to commemorate soldiers lost at war, who had once worked on farms and stations in the area.

Lesley even had little white crosses made and put them on the roadside verge for motorists to see, on past Anzac Days.

Musician Christine Wright came out with her bugle to play ‘The Last Post’ - her last performance of the day at 5pm, but this year the RSA cannon was coming out too.

Alexandra-Clyde RSA president Kevin Harding said Lesley had been at him since 2014 to bring the gun out and hold an official service, “and it made sense for her to fire it as well.”

Today's 1pm service would also include official speeches and Central Otago Mayor Tamah Alley would also be in attendance.

The 25-pounder cannon at a former Armistice Day in Alexandra FILE SHOT

The Alexandra-Clyde RSA put in a lot of work every year to make two towns - and now three - services happen. 

Kevin said he spent three months working with agencies to close State Highway 85 and around the monument in downtown Alexandra.

Soldiers used to march along Centennial Ave towards the Alexandra cenotaph, but traffic management restrictions had changed all that.

For the last 20 years or so, they have moved the official parade to start behind the monument along lower Tarbert Street. 

Kevin said unfortunately they have stopped the parade in Clyde for similar reasons “and marching two times in one day for us old guys is getting a bit hard,” he admitted. 

The wreath laying service took place at the Clyde War Memorial on Matau St at 8am. 

The soldier at Cromwell Cenotaph will stand alone this Anzac Day as services are moved to the cemetery for 2025.

Meanwhile, up in Cromwell, the special service at the Cromwell Cemetery will start at 8am with the laying of poppies on veterans graves.

The official service will start at 10am and include guest speaker Peter Kelly - a former NZ Army Major General - and the current chief executive of the Central Otago District Council. 

Cromwell RSA secretary Peter Svensson said preparations were underway at the cemetery with the planned installation of a second flagpole to allow them to fly both the New Zealand and Australian flags during the ceremony.

Anzac Day Services 

Roxburgh Dawn Service 6am

Ranfurly Dawn Service 6:30am

Clyde Dawn Service - 6.45am

Clyde Wreath Laying service - 8am

Cromwell - 8am Poppy Laying Service

Bannockburn - 9am,

Lowburn - 9am

Millers Flat - 9am

Omakau - 9:45am march and service

Cromwell - 10am Wreath Laying Service

Gimmerburn - 10am Wreath Laying Service

Patearoa - 10am

Tarras - 10am

Alexandra - 10.30am Parade and Service

Chatto Creek - 1pm

ANZAC Day Parade Road Closures

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