ANZAC Day commemorated throughout French Pacific and beyond

With a strong emphasis on the "FRANZ" trilateral alliance, ANZAC Day was commemorated throughout the French Pacific and in mainland France late last week.

Dawn ceremonies were held with French, New Zealand and Australian representatives in attendance in Nouméa (New Caledonia), Papeete (French Polynesia), Wellington, Canberra and Paris.

In New Caledonia, dawn ceremonies were held in Nouméa but also in several other locations, including the New Zealand cemetery in Nessadiou (Bourail, West coast of the main island Grande Terre) to remember those soldiers from Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who fought and died during the 20th century's two World Wars.

In downtown Nouméa, on Bir-Hakeim square, where the war memorial is located, hundreds of participants (including school children, officials, diplomatic corps members, military and civilian authorities), assembled to lay wreaths, raise the three flags and pay military honours to the fallen.

'FRANZ' agreement signed in 1992

French High Commissioner in New Caledonia, Louis le Franc, reaffirmed France, Australia and New Zealand's "shared vision" on most of the world's current challenges, including multilateralism and climate change.

This, he said, materialised through the tripartite "FRANZ" agreement, sealed in 1992, which promotes a coordinated participation of the three armed forces in regional disaster relief operations to assist neighbouring Pacific islands struck by natural disasters such as cyclones, earthquakes, tsunami and volcanic eruptions.

He also mentioned the "QUAD" (Quadrilateral Defence Coordination Group), a "FRANZ" format expanded to include the United States and focuses on maritime safety in Pacific waters, under the supervision of the Pacific Islands Forum's Fisheries Agency (FFA).

Representing New Zealand's government for the occasion was Jenny Marcroft, Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Minister for Media and Communications.

"It is an honour to share these special commemorations with our Pacific friends and neighbours and to acknowledge the connections between New Zealand, New Caledonia and France," Ms Marcroft says.

Marcroft took part in the Anzac Dawn Service at Place Bir Hakeim in Nouméa and the day after attended a second service at the New Zealand War Cemetery in Bourail.

She said thousands of New Zealand military personnel were based in New Caledonia during World War II, when Bourail was the Headquarters of the 3rd New Zealand Division.

"There are 246 graves at the Bourail New Zealand War Cemetery. In addition, the Bourail Memorial commemorates over 200 members of the New Zealand Forces and Merchant Navy, and 169 members of the Western Pacific Local Forces who died during operations in the South Pacific and who have no known grave", she explained.

During her three-day stay, Marcroft also officially opened a New Zealand co-financed science facility at the Nouméa-based Pacific Community (SPC) headquarters.

"The facility will enable important analytical work on the impacts of climate change on tuna fisheries and support the training of Pacific Island scientists in fisheries and climate science," she said.

Papeete

In Papeete (French Polynesia), a formal ceremony was held at the Uranie Cemetery (Papeete) to pay tribute to ANZAC force, in presence of civilian and military officials and diplomatic representatives from Australia and New Zealand.

Wellington

In Wellington, French Ambassador Laurence Beau and visiting representatives of the French Northern town of Arras and members of the Amicale des Combattants (veterans association) of Mont-Dore (in the outskirts of Nouméa) and New Caledonia-based French Armed Forces (FANC) also took part in the ANZAC Day Dawn Service and National Commemoration Service at the Wellington Pukeahu National War Memorial Park.

Wreaths were placed at the French Memorial and Pacific Islands Memorials.

"It is a moment to reflect on the shared history of our nations and commemorate the service, sacrifice, and bravery of ANZAC soldiers. They will never be forgotten", the French diplomat stated.

Port Vila

In Port Vila, a dawn ceremony was also held "in FRANZ format" at the Vanuatu capital's war memorial, near the Prime minister's office.

The ceremony was attended by Australian and New Zealand representatives and French Ambassador Jean-Baptiste Jeangène Vilmer.

It also involved a high-level representation from the Vanuatu Mobile Force (VMF).

"France, Australia and New Zealand, allied in the battle, are also working together towards humanitarian assistance to local populations. In 2023, in Vanuatu, we worked together following the passage of two cyclones", Jeangène Vilmer said.

Canberra

In Canberra, French Ambassador Pierre-Andre Imbert hosted a special remembrance ceremony at the French Embassy with Australian representatives in attendance, including Rear Admiral Richard Boulton and diplomats.

Paris

In Paris, French Army chief of staff General Pierre Schill paid homage to "the dozens of thousand Australian diggers who lost their lives on the battlefields of Somme (North of France) and in the Dardanelles (Gallipoli) in 1915 and 1916 by the side of their French and New Zealander brothers-in-arms".

ANZAC was a "cornerstone of the French-Australian military relationship", he told his visiting Australian counterpart Lieutenant-General Simon Stuart.

"His visit confirms our common will to enrich this bilateral partnership, at a time when our Indo-Pacific nations' shared identity demands an increasing solidarity", General Schill said.

"France and Australia are two neighbouring powers in the Pacific region, equally exposed to the strategic turmoil taking place there, such as the affirmation of State rivalries, challenges to sovereignty areas, climate change intensification and the co-related humanitarian risks", the French officer said, stressing the need for armed forces to increase their capability to "inter-operate".

Exercise 'Tagata Toa 2024'

Meanwhile, in New Caledonia's small town of Ploum, to coincide with ANZAC Day, French New Caledonia Infantry Marine Regiment (RIMAP-NC) played host to 37 Australian and 34 New Zealand soldiers as part of an exercise codenamed "Tagata Toa 2024" (22 April - 4 May 2024).

With a strong focus on simulating realistic operational scenarios, the exercise also intended to demonstrate "FANC's wish to engage with partner regional forces" through "operational preparedness, cooperation, interoperability and remembrance".

"Tagata Toa" soldiers also took part in New Caledonia's ANZAC Day services.