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A mid-morning ANZAC Day Service at the Cenotaph at the Queen’s Gardens, Dunedin. This is followed by the Anzac Day Parade down Princes Street with the cameraman positioned opposite James Marlow Excelsior Furniture Building. The hundreds of veterans on parade capture the commitment New Zealand made in the First World War. This could be either a Henry Gore or a Jack Welsh film.
A naval officer in formal dress and sword lays a wreath at the Cenotaph, Queens Gardens, Dunedin at the mid morning service on Anzac day, with the crowd in background.
The commanding officer of the 4th Otago Mounted Rifles in service dress, Sam Browne and sword, lays a wreath. From his medals he is a WWI NZEF veteran (Lt. Col. G R Mitchell, DSO).
An infantry major with a military cross identifiable in his first world war decorations lays a wreath. He appears to be in his early thirties.
A senior army officer lays a wreath.
A view of the crowd around the Cenotaph, with a school cadet guard in the foreground.
A pan across the crowd around the Cenotaph.
The Anzac day procession in Dunedin down Princess Street towards with the camera positioned opposite James Marlow. Excelsior Furniture building, with a row of [identifiable] cars on the opposite side of the street. Lances on the 4th Otago Hussars ride past.
The veterans led by a pipe band march past, watched by the crowds and accompanied by people walking along with them. [The womens’ clothes styles and dress lengths may identify the year] From the age and rank of the officers in the first scenes at the Cenotaph, particularly the officer with the military cross, it appears to be the late 1920s
The veterans march past in their hundreds. Otago/Southland provided the largest number of soldiers for the New Zealand Expeditionary Force per head of population. Note the boy walking [alongside his father].
The march past continues as the No.1 Exchange Tram passes in the opposite direction.
The 5th Otago Mounted Rifles march past, followed by sailors off one of the ships of the Royal Navy.
The Battalion band followed by officers on horseback and soldiers of the Territorial Regiment. Each company is led by the company commander on horseback, all of whom are wearing medal ribbons which show that they are WWI veterans
A Garrison band, followed by an infantry territorial battalion.
Notes by Chris Pugsley.