The Feilding RSA celebrated its centenary over the weekend with military displays in the Manawatū town.

Feilding RSA's centenary celebrations wowed the crowds with displays of military vehicles and memorabilia, as well as a surprise visit from Victoria Cross recipient Willie Apiata.

Feilding RSA president Barrie Law said 120 people attended the rededication of the Services Lawn Cemetery and hundreds more turned out for a parade of military vehicles, old and new, which ended at Manchester Square.

Both kids and adults enjoyed the displays in the square, and the chance to handle military weapons and equipment, under the close supervision of the Defence Force, he said.

KIRK HARGREAVES/STUFF Victoria Cross recipient Corporal Willie Apiata made an improptu visit to the Feilding RSA's centenary celebrations on Saturday.

"It all went fantastically well, and having Willie Apiata turn up for our [centenary] was an honour and a bit of a bonus for us."

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The celebrations began with a rededication service for the recently renovated Services Lawn Cemetery, which now includes a new memorial wall, at 8am on Saturday.

DAVID UNWIN/STUFF A LAV parked in Manchester Square on Saturday as the Feilding RSA marked its 100 birthday.

Laws said the rededication service was attended by veterans, their families and tangata whenua

"They have family up there as well, so it was important for us to connect to with them."

Apiata's surprise visit was the result of a long friendship with the RSA's vice president Patrick Nolan.

When Apiata earned his Victoria Cross, Nolan mounted the award for display – including a miniature, made from the original bronze the first Victoria Crosses were made from.

"He really appreciated it and he rang me up in the middle of the night [when I was living in England]. We got talking and we chummed up."

The Manawatū born and raised veteran was serving as the first non-Englishman to become a Yeoman Warden at the time. The Yeoman are Tower of London guards better known as Beefeaters.

Apiata was passing through Feilding this weekend and called Nolan to ask if he'd like to catch up.

But Nolan was busy lending his expertise as a military historian at the RSA's antique firearms display and military memorabilia "show and tell" at the Civic Centre on Aorangi St.

So, Apiata ended up making an impromptu stop at the RSA celebrations.

Nolan said it was wonderful to have him there and fun to watch people's reactions when they realised who he was.

Apiata is a humble and charismatic man and he made sure to put people at their ease, no matter how nervous they were.

"[And] he'd hand his VC straight over so people could get a good look and get their greasy fingerprints all over it."