The aim of the Competition is to raise awareness of the impact on the Devonport community of the casualties of war.
DEVONPORT RSA SPEECH COMPETITION
REMEMBRANCE DAY: NOVEMBER 2021
The Devonport RSA is conducting a Virtual Speech Competition with the winning entry to be delivered in person at the Devonport Remembrance Day Service being held on Sunday 7 November 2021.
The aim of the Competition is to raise awareness
of the impact on the Devonport community of the casualties of war.
Casualties of war include not only the dead but also those wounded, both physically and psychologically, whether sailor, soldier, airman, nurses, or merchant navy. In other ways families suffered too, and civilians and conscientious objectors also became casualties.
The losses incurred affected every community in New Zealand, including Devonport. On the Devonport Memorial there are ninety-two (92) names from World War One and fifty-nine (59) from World War Two. There are also plaques recognising the sacrifices of those that served in South Africa, Korea, Malaya, Borneo, and South Vietnam. At the entrance to Devonport, our Memorial Drive is lined with individual plaques commemorating local service people who died during WWII.
At O’Neill’s Point Cemetery in Bayswater there are about 200 military headstones, and many more family burial plots with memorials which include the names of loved ones who died during war service and are buried in foreign lands. There are also graves of Pacific Islanders who died while training at Narrow Neck. Many were victims of the 1918 Influenza Epidemic and died only a few days before or after Armistice was declared. Far from home yet never having deployed to war on the other side of the world. Some headstones bear the insignia of Australia or Canada or British regimental crests. Buried here in our soil, they are all our sons too.
Every year the Devonport RSA installs the Devonport Field of Remembrance on Windsor Reserve. Each simple white cross bears the name of a life sacrificed and details of the home and grieving family they left behind. Many of the family names are still evident in our community today. These events occurred many generations ago. How best can we honour their sacrifice even today?
REMEMBRANCE DAY: NOVEMBER 2021
The Devonport RSA is conducting a Virtual Speech Competition with the winning entry to be delivered in person at the Devonport Remembrance Day Service being held on Sunday 7 November 2021.
The aim of the Competition is to raise awareness
of the impact on the Devonport community of the casualties of war.
Casualties of war include not only the dead but also those wounded, both physically and psychologically, whether sailor, soldier, airman, nurses, or merchant navy. In other ways families suffered too, and civilians and conscientious objectors also became casualties.
The losses incurred affected every community in New Zealand, including Devonport. On the Devonport Memorial there are ninety-two (92) names from World War One and fifty-nine (59) from World War Two. There are also plaques recognising the sacrifices of those that served in South Africa, Korea, Malaya, Borneo, and South Vietnam. At the entrance to Devonport, our Memorial Drive is lined with individual plaques commemorating local service people who died during WWII.
At O’Neill’s Point Cemetery in Bayswater there are about 200 military headstones, and many more family burial plots with memorials which include the names of loved ones who died during war service and are buried in foreign lands. There are also graves of Pacific Islanders who died while training at Narrow Neck. Many were victims of the 1918 Influenza Epidemic and died only a few days before or after Armistice was declared. Far from home yet never having deployed to war on the other side of the world. Some headstones bear the insignia of Australia or Canada or British regimental crests. Buried here in our soil, they are all our sons too.
Every year the Devonport RSA installs the Devonport Field of Remembrance on Windsor Reserve. Each simple white cross bears the name of a life sacrificed and details of the home and grieving family they left behind. Many of the family names are still evident in our community today. These events occurred many generations ago. How best can we honour their sacrifice even today?
Details of the speech competition are:
- A prepared speech of 3 - 4 minutes duration. The winning entries will be delivered at Devonport’s 2021 Remembrance Day Service; Sunday 7 November.
- The competition is open to Year 9-13 students either living in our community or attending a secondary school within the Devonport – Takapuna area.
- The $1,000 prize money will be dispersed based on the number, and quality, of entries received.
- Entries close at 5,00pm Sunday 10 October 2021
- . Judging criteria include:
- Clear focus on the topic: “How best can we honour their sacrifice even today?”
- Evidence of preparation (researched, structured, organized & rehearsed)
- Engaging with audience members of all ages
- Delivery: verbal (choice of words & content); vocal (clarity, voice tone, volume, pace & pauses); visual (eye contact, facial expressions, gestures, body language)
- Creating impact
References
There are many sources for information, below are some of these:
The Auckland War Memorial Museum’s database. Contains the names of all those, men, and women, who have served in the NZ armed services for the South African War onwards. You can search this database at http://muse.aucklandmuseum.com/databases/cenotaph/WhereDidTheyComeFrom.aspx?country=New%20Zealand
NZHistory.net is New Zealand’s most authoritative history website and is immensely popular with schools. http://www.nzhistory.net.nz. Also, there are many print publications available.
If you have any queries about the Competition please contact the RSA Secretary
on 09 445 8938 or by email at manager@devonportrsa.co.nz
Prize
There is a prize pool of $1,000.
The winning speech(es) will be delivered at Devonport’s 2021 Remembrance Day Service in November.
The winning speech(es) will be delivered at Devonport’s 2021 Remembrance Day Service in November.
Eligibility
The competition is open to Year 9-13 students either attending a secondary school or living within the Devonport – Takapuna area.
All entries must include verification from the student’s school that the student is enrolled as a Year 9-13 student.
All entries must include verification from the student’s school that the student is enrolled as a Year 9-13 student.
Closing Date
Entries must be submitted, by 5pm Sunday 10th October 2021.
Virtual Speech Competition submission is by uploading a video of yourself reading your speech.
To submit, click the link below, and fill out the form.
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