As it is in the USA this weekend; in fact there are two military remembrance days: Memorial Day which commemorates those who have been killed in conflicts and is held on the third Monday in May, and Veterans Day which is for all service personnel and marked on 11 November, known as Remembrance Day in Europe.

As mentioned in the post on ANZAC Day, we honor in Waikanae the U.S. Marines who were stationed here from 1942-1944 during the war with Japan.  The majority of the 20,000 U.S. Marines sent to the Kapiti Coast were based in what is now Queen Elizabeth Park at MacKays crossing, but there were other camps along the coast including where we are.

When a 6 metre tall Lancewood tree died in our garden we decided to turn it into a commemorative flagpole.