New Zealand's attendance at the Anzac Day dawn service tomorrow in Gallipoli will go ahead despite their uniforms and instruments sitting somewhere in Dubai's airport.
Members of the New Zealand Defence Force lost their luggage on the way to Gallipoli during transit. There were fears that if the team couldn't retrieve their bags, which contain their uniforms, out of respect and protocol they would not be able to take part in the dawn ceremony alongside Australia and Turkey.
The contingent flew to Turkey through Dubai last week where unprecedented flooding hit the region and the airport suffered massive disruptions.
Their bags, which contain all of their uniforms and band instruments, are missing in Dubai International Airport. The airport said it has 35 of the roughly 65 missing bags and is now racing to get them delivered to Anzac Cove before the big day.
Without the uniforms, the NZDF is unable to do any of the ceremonial elements.
"I would think it's the first time we haven't had a ceremonial role at the Dawn Service," Defence Force lead John McLeod told Newshub Europe Correspondent Lisette Reymer.
McLeod said he is confident New Zealand will still be represented in the ceremony.
Vocalist Lance Corporal Bryony Williams will sing anthems without accompaniment, and they have a guitar to support the Māori cultural group in singing waiata.
Efforts were made to source musical instruments, however, many of the right instruments were likely participating in the Turkish services.
Williams said the Australian Defence Force has been lending the Kiwis their kit, including a bugler.
"You just got to go with it. There's a lot of people out there trying to fix the problem and stressing about it or getting grumpy just doesn't make any difference," McLeod said.
"… The Australians are really part of this and it's a shared experience in adversity for both of us."
There has also been some Kiwi ingenuity with the band using spoons as drums,
"The team is an incredibly professional team. They've been amazing, it's like they've thrived on the adversity, they're professional," McLeod said.
"They are gutted, of course, really gutted, but they want to be here, they want to do their job. It's not just for the people who are here, it's for all the people who fought here as well."
Newshub.
