A child's salute

ANDREW GORRIE/The Dominion Post

CHATTING: Adele Amos with veteran Laurie Penney.

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Girl Guide Adele Amos attended her second Anzac Day dawn service this year.
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Reporter  Greer McDonald and photographer Andrew  Gorrie were there to capture her day - from an  early-morning wake-up call, to her prime  viewing position at the front of the crowd  gathered at Wellington's Cenotaph.

4.30am

After her early- morning rise, Adele  Amos dresses in  her Girl Guide  uniform and begins her day by tucking  into breakfast  cereal and toast in  the kitchen of her  home in Karori.

5am

The 10-year-old holds a photo of the resting place of her great-great uncle,  Alfred Amos, who fought and died in 1918 at Somme in France during  World War I. When asked why Anzac Day is important to New Zealand,  Adele quickly answers: "Because of the soldiers that died, and we have to  pay respect to them."

5.05am

Along with her mother, Trish, and 8-year-old brother Luke, Adele joins the  masses who make their way to the Cenotaph near Parliament on a mild,  hauntingly still, Wellington morning.

6am

The early start catches up with Adele as she allows a brief yawn to creep up at her "favourite  part" of the ceremony - when veterans and representatives of the current defence forces  march past on Lambton Quay.

6.30am

Having downed an Anzac biscuit or two,  Adele chats with veteran Laurie Penney as they sit at Pipitea Marae after the dawn  service. Here they relaxed and warmed up,  surrounded by the thick, sweet aroma of rum  and coffee and the chatter of veterans, VIPs  and families who also attended the event.

7am

Ready for home, Adele hitches a ride on her  mother's back as they leave the marae.

7.20am

With the sun well and truly up and a whole day ahead of her, Adele gets ready to take on  the rest of the weekend - starting with a bike ride.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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