Purple poppy day today
Story by Graham McBride:
As well as the traditional commemorative red poppy, the National Army Museum remembers and honours our war animals each year on the 24 February with Purple Poppy Day. The purple poppy symbolises all animals who have died during conflict. It is estimated that more than 8 million animals sacrificed their lives in World War I alone.
Strictly in the Te Kowhai context, I once obtained this photo from Andrea (Limmer) Whittle, whose grandfather Bill Limmer (b.1895, d, 1981) is named on the Te Kowhai War Memorial Roll of Honour. Initially, in WWI, Bill undertook Compulsory Military Training, where he served locally in the 4th Waikato Mounted Rifles, then enlisted in the War in early 1918. He fought in Egypt for 1 year and 245 days, with the N.Z. Mounted Rifle Brigade, NZ Expeditionary Forces.
These (mostly) local farm ‘boys’ grew up with a very close affinity with horses – for work, travel and leisure. The bonds between soldier and ‘fighting’ horse during WWI must have been very personal, but when Bill and his fellow horsemen were about to embark for New Zealand at the end of the War, our government made the servicemen shoot their horses to avoid the cost of repatriating them.
This is Bill’s evocative image of the fate of his trusty mount! Maybe we also need some Purple Poppies on the wall at the Memorial Hall?
Story by Graham McBride
Today’s Mind-Bender is the Last of the Year! Can You Guess It Before Everyone Else? 🌟🎁🌲
I dance in the sky with green and gold, a spectacle few are lucky to behold; I’m best seen in the south, a celestial sight—what am I, lighting up the New Zealand night?
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Poll: Do you set New Year’s resolutions?
🎉 2026 is almost here!
We’re curious ... how do you welcome it?
Do you set resolutions, follow special traditions, or just go with the flow?
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10.6% Yes! New Year, New Me
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22.1% Yes - but I rarely stick to them
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67.3% Nah - not for me
From rugged campsite to 7.5ha resort
Grant Kilby has always loved camping. His mum was director of health at the YMCA, and he would attend YMCA camps in the school holidays. “I think it was mandatory that I was there,” he jokes.
He went on camping holidays with his parents, and later, took his own kids.
“Camping’s been in my blood.”
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