The ongoing vandalism of service plaques and headstones in the services section of the Waihī Cemetery is very upsetting to the families of those service people whose graves were vandalised and also to the wider veteran community, says Veterans' Affairs.

Acting Head of Veterans' Affairs, Marti Eller, believes that the desecration of these graves will be keenly felt.

'Their families would have been expecting that their loved ones would be resting in peace, and fellow veterans would be expecting that the graves of those who served our country would be respected and revered. Unfortunately this is not the case.”

Veterans' Affairs provides grants to councils to assist with the maintenance of services cemeteries when those cemeteries are within a council cemetery, and pays for the maintenance for those that are outside a council's responsibility.

Damaged grave sites at Waihī Cemetery. Photo: Hauraki District Council.

On June 9, Hauraki District Council wrote about the damage to the council's Facebook page.

"This is a tough post to write. It's hard to find the words to convey the disbelief, distress and anger this shameful act of vandalism at the Waihi Cemetery will cause to the families affected, our staff, who take pride in maintaining this place of rest and the families who visit to pay their respects."

The council was alerted to the damage in the new RSA Gardens, around Plot 62.

"While we'll work quickly to gather up and save what we can, and identify the families affected, we wanted to let the community know in case you have a precious momento you'd like to remove to keep safe while we investigate this distressing event. This cemetery has regular security patrols and gates are locked to vehicles at 8pm."

Members of veterans' families who saw the Facebook post expressed their concern.

"That my grandads grave, this makes me so angry and unbelievably hurt, even more so because I, myself am now a soldier and to see this blatant disrespect on our fallen is appalling," says Keah Brown.

"That's my dad. He was in the Second World War fighting for our country. These ones have no respect. Feeling so sad," says Linda Gibbons.

"There are no words to describe this behaviour it sickens me to think that even lowlife would do this," says Colleen Gibbons.

"My grandparents are there in that part. Sickening to think what possess someone to enjoy doing this sort of thing," says Kazz Orr.

Veterans' Affairs also funds and arranges a services plaque or headstone for the New Zealand service people with qualifying operational service who are buried in these areas.

Veterans' Affairs recently provided funding and arranged for new service plaques to be installed in the services area of Waihī Cemetery.

'We will continue to work the Waihī Council to ensure that the veterans of Waihī Cemetery have the recognition that they deserve and we hope that their families won't have any more upsetting moments,” says Marti.