'We will remember them': Anzac fallen heroes honoured at Cannock Chase ceremony

Fallen heroes from New Zealand have been honoured at the annual Anzac Day ceremony held at Cannock Chase.

A total of 73 soldiers from the nation were laid to rest at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission situated there, and since the end of the Great War the ceremony has been held on or as near as possible to Anzac Day.

Most of the men died in a Spanish influenza epidemic which devastated the camp in 1918. In November of that year a total of 42 lost their lives.

The service yesterday (April 26) was conducted by Rev John Davis from St. Mary's Church in Stafford.

Richard Pursehouse, of the Chase Project, who attended the event: “It was a lovely sunny day. It was a poignant ceremony. The Rev John Davis spoke of the conflict in the Middle East which was very apt. It was very humbling to attend and to lay a wreath on behalf of the Chase Project.”

The event also featured wreath laying at the grave of Freda, the Harlequin Great Dane mascot of the 5th (Reserve) Battalion New Zealand Rifle Brigade by guests the New Zealand High Commissioner Hamish Cooper and Lt Rebecca Smeele of the Royal New Zealand Navy.

Mr Cooper and Lt Smeele laid a purple poppy wreath on the four-legged heroine’s grave on behalf of the people of New Zealand.

Freda was often seen taking part in marches and parades alongside the troops at Cannock Chase. She had arrived from the training area at Tidworth Pennings, Salisbury Plain in September 1917 along with the rest of the troops. She even had a litter of puppies.

Freda died in December 1918 at Brocton Camp before the 'Flag Exchange Ceremony' in Stafford town centre the following year in May 1919 when the survivors marched to the railway station on their journey back to New Zealand. They did however leave 73 of their comrades in Cannock Chase Military cemetery.

An additional wreath was laid at Sunday’s service to remember those from Australia by two World War One actors who attended.