In the new millennium there has been increasing interest in the story of Pacific Island involvement in the First World War. In the Cook Islands there have been efforts to rebuild memorials and honour boards, while in Niue the local RSA has spearheaded a resurgence in interest in the country's military history
By the end of the Second World War military commemorations in the Cook Islands and Niue centered around Anzac Day. Services in both countries followed the pattern of those in New Zealand, with minor changes to fit local conditions
During the 1920s war memorials provided a focus for commemoration services in the Cook Islands, where the first Anzac Day service was possibly held in 1927. On Niue, Armistice celebrations focused on villages planting ‘peace groves’ of coconuts and it was not until after the Second World War that a remembrance service on Anzac Day was established
Armistice Day was the initial focal point for commemorations in the Cook Islands and Niue after the First World War. But because men from both countries had served in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, observances gradually shifted to Anzac Day in April
During the 1920s, the contribution of the Cook Islands and Niue to the war effort was recognised in a number of ways, especially official visits, the building of monuments and the presentation of ceremonial guns and honour boards.
