ANZAC Day 2012 will be observed in Tonga on Wednesday 25 April with a dawn service at the Cenotaph to commemorate the servicemen and women from Australia, New Zealand and Tonga who fought and died in the interests of world peace.

This year’s ANZAC Day marks the 97^th anniversary of the landing of Australian and New Zealand forces at Anzac Cove in 1915, at the same time as British and French forces landed further along the coast of the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey. The New Zealand High Commission stated today that this heroic but disastrous campaign resulted in a very high number of allied soldiers being killed, wounded and recorded as missing.

"For both New Zealanders and Australians, 25 April has become a day of national reflection, as we pause to remember and honour men and women who have served and sacrificed in all wars, conflicts and peace operations. We share with peoples of other nationalities the loss and sacrifice and the sense of the ultimate futility of war."

To commemorate the day in Tonga, the Dawn Service will commence at 5:55am at the Cenotaph at Pangai Si‘i in central Nuku'alofa with Lieutenant Bryant Richard, Regional Commander of the Salvation Army, as the Officiating Minister.

In the statement the New Zealand High Commission advised that members of the public are invited to attendand that medals may be worn.

Fakamanatu ‘i Tonga 2012 ANZAC Day

Ko e ‘aho ANZAC Day 2012 ‘e fakahoko ‘i he ‘aho Pulelulu 25 ‘o ‘Epeleli ‘a hono fakamanatu mo faka‘ilonga‘i ‘a e ngaue ‘a e kau sotia tangata mo fefine mei ‘Aositelelia, Nu‘usila pea mo Tonga na‘a nau kau atu ki hono tau‘i ‘o e melino ‘i mamani.

‘I hono fakamanatu ‘o e ANZAC day ‘o e ta‘u ni ko hono faka‘ilonga‘i ia ‘a e lava ‘a e ta‘u ‘e 97 ‘a e fakatu‘uta ‘a e kautau ‘a Aositelelia mo Nu‘usila ‘i he ANZAC Cove ‘i he 1915, pea ‘i he taimi tatau ‘a e tu‘uta ‘a e kautau ‘a Pilitania mo Falanise ‘i Kalipoli ‘i Toake. Ko e feinga lototo‘a ka ko e feinga tau fakatu‘utamaki ‘aupito he na‘e hoko ia ‘o mole ai ‘a e mo‘ui ‘a e kau sotia tokolahi ‘aupito, pea lavelavea ‘a e ni‘ihi pea kei pulia ‘a e kau sotia ‘e ni‘ihi.

Ki he kau ‘Aositelelia mo Nu‘usila, ‘oku hoko ‘a e ‘aho 25 ‘o ‘Epeleli ko e ‘aho malolo fakafonua ke tau fakalaulauloto, manatua mo faka‘apa‘apa‘i mo tau‘i ‘o e melino. ‘Oku mau ‘inasi fakataha mo e kakai mei he ngaahi fonua kehekehe ‘i he ongo‘i ‘a e mole mo e feilaulau mo‘ui na‘a nau fakahoko.

‘I hono fakamanatua ‘o e ‘aho mahu‘inga ni ‘i Tonga ni, ‘e fai ‘a e Lotu Hengihengi ‘o kamata ‘i he 5:55am ‘i he Maka Fakamanatu ‘o e kau tau ‘i Pangai si‘i. Ko Lieutenant Bryant Richard, Regional Commander ‘o e Salvation Army, te ne tataki ‘a e ouau lotu ni.

‘Oku fakaafe‘i atu ha taha pe ‘e fie kau mai ki he houa lotu ni ke ke lava mai ki Mala‘e Pangai ‘i he taimi 5:45am. Ko kinautolu na‘e ma‘u metali ke ke lava mai mo ia.

Kataki ka ke lava mai mo ha‘o kasa ke ke ngaue‘aki he houa lotu ni.