More than 40 wide-eyed students sat quietly listening to the tales of war heroes on Monday afternoon.
They were gathered at the Howick RSA for a special afternoon to broaden their knowledge of what kiwis endured in previous military campaigns.
The Howick RSA arranged for three speakers to share their stories with student leaders from more than 10 east Auckland primary and intermediate schools.
The speakers of the day were Andrew Lister who spoke of what it means to be a hero and spoke of well-known New Zealand heroes.
Leo Abbott took centre stage to give the students a brief history of some of our local war casualties whose names are engraved on the cenotaph on Stockade Hill.
He told the children about the importance of Anzac Day and that it serves as a reminder of the sacrifices some men made.
Adele White spoke about types of service in recent times, sharing insight into her work for the New Zealand Police.
The eager students then gathered around Howick RSA’s oldest member, 99-year-old Eric Wilson, a Second World War army veteran, with a sharp mind who could recall every detail of the war.
The children were buzzing over old photos and memorabilia from Eric.
