99-year-old veteran to lead Anzac procession

On Anzac Day, 99-year-old World War 2 veteran Betty Percy will lead a procession at Mount Maunganui’s Arvida Ocean Shores Village in New Zealand. Riding her scooter and proudly displaying the New Zealand flag, Betty will be the star of the 11am service at the village.

Betty is the only resident of the village who served in the Second World War, where she worked as a truck driver for the NZ home guard. She is also one of 18 returned service people living in the village.

Betty joined the NZ Army at the age of 18, having previously worked on farms in the South Island. She worked in the Napier army office and drove army trucks, sitting on two cushions to see over the steering wheel.

After marrying her husband Blake Cranston, Betty moved to Auckland. She was discharged from the army due to her pregnancy, and her husband chose to work in lighthouse keeping.

Betty, who turns 100 on September 6, has lived at Arvida Ocean Shores for 11 years since 2012. She is known for her flawless grooming and fashion sense, and enjoys zipping around on her scooter.

This Anzac Day will be especially significant for Betty, as she honours the sacrifices of her comrades and remembers those who have fallen.