Jump to content
Free downloads from TNA ×
The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

New Zealand War Memorials


alliekiwi

Recommended Posts

I drag my poor son around the countryside taking photographs of war memorials. (Actually, he's getting good at spotting them - we haven't got that one, Mum!)

I have photographs of the memorials, plus close-ups of the names on panels, of the following - if anyone wants a photo showing where their relative is commemorated.

I have photos of:

Ashurst (no names listed)

Bulls

Cambridge

Clevedon

Clive

Dannevirke

Feilding (also Boer War memorial)

Gisborne (one panel only)

Hastings

Havelock North

Leigh

Makotuku (this includes the Ormondville area)

Maramarua

Matakana

Matamata

Napier

Norsewood

Ongaonga

Otane

Pakowai (lists only WW2 names)

Palmerston North (Terrace End School memorial only)

Papakura

Sanson - both old and new memorials

Taradale (they list all those who went to the war, and then those who died on another set of plaques. Rather nice to see all those who returned remembered as well!)

Taupo

Te Haute

Tirokino

Tuakau

Turakina

Waipawa

Waipu

Waipukurau

Wanganui - main town

Wanganui - Queens Park school (no names listed)

Warkworth (however, no names listed on this memorial)

Woodville

If anyone else has photographs of memorial panels from NZ, would you be willing to share them?

Allie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Allie, my daughter who lives in Western Australia visited NZ last October with her husband. Knowing my interest in WW1 she photographed the memorial in Arrowton and also a Private Memorial to Cpl J A Jopp MM, a soldier buried in Bancourt, France whose grave I visited earlier in the year.

I tried researching all the names on the Arrowton memorial but could not find them all, and a couple have different middle names. Thought you might be interested.

Peter

post-7183-1201115384.jpg

post-7183-1201115629.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh, fabulous. Thanks, Peter!

I've found that some discrepancies in middle name are due to the men being Catholic. Occassionally they'll list their middle name as the saint's name they took upon Confirmation.

Allie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well Done Allie-I never thought of that. I only have one baptismal christian name, but being a Confirmed Catholic, I could use the middle name Gerard !

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Allie, If you get as far as the war memorial at Rae’s Junction, Otago, in the future I believe that the name of Mary Helen Rae is on it. I should love a snap. Jim

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We will be in Longueval in a week or two. As you will know there is a NZ memorial in Catapillar Valley cemetery (names of those with no known grave) and the NZ memorial between Longueval & high wood. let me know if you would like photos of them.

Keep the candle burning.

John & Kathleen

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dear John & Kathleen, I am sure that there will be many who would want photos, especially names on the panels from Caterpillar Valley. Good of you to offer.

I have all the names on all the NZ Memorials in Gallipoli, also Tyne Cot, Buttes New British Cemetery & Grevillers. If anyone would like copies please PM me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Will post a couple of photos when we have learned how to do it, or send a pm with your e-mail address and we will mail it to you. In the mean time, we have a lot of research on lads from Seaham in Co Durham who served in the Great War. Some were with NZ forces. One is John Victor Hearn, Pte 11663, 1st Canterbury Rgt. NZEF. Died 27/09/16 and his name is on the Catarpillar Valley Memorial. He was the son of Michael and Sarah Hearn of 289 Bealey Avenue, Christ Curch. His family were originally from Seaham Harbour. Any further info would be appreciated and we will post further names for research in due course.

Keep the candle burning.

John & Kathleen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

John Victor Hearn, Pte 11663, 1st Canterbury Rgt. NZEF. Died 27/09/16 and his name is on the Catarpillar Valley Memorial. He was the son of Michael and Sarah Hearn of 289 Bealey Avenue, Christ Curch. His family were originally from Seaham Harbour. Any further info would be appreciated and we will post further names for research in due course.

The New Zealand nominal roll lists him as Victor John, rather than John Victor.

Surname HEARN

Given Name Victor John

Category Nominal Roll Vol. 2

Regimental Number 11663

Rank Private

Next of Kin Title Mrs Sarah

Next of Kin Surname HEARN

Next of Kin Relationship Mother

Next of Kin Address 31 Allen Street Christchurch

Roll 30

Page 9

Occupation Tailor

He was in the 12th reinforcements, leaving Wellington on HMNZT 51 Ulimaroa on 1 May 1916, which appears to have first gone to Suez/Egypt. So he was killed not long after arriving at the front in F&F. Conscription began here in November 1916, so he was a volunteer.

Allie, If you get as far as the war memorial at Rae’s Junction, Otago, in the future I believe that the name of Mary Helen Rae is on it. I should love a snap. Jim

So far I'm confined to the North Island, but should I get down that way I'll certainly keep snapping photos of memorials and attempt to get that one for you, Jim.

Allie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Have tried to upload 2 photos but they are to big for the available space. If you would like them send me your e-mail address.

J&K

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Allie,

Here is the War Memorial in Oamaru (home of the little Blue Penguins), taken whilst having the holiday of a lifetime touring NZ in April last year. The sun was not in a good position to see the memorial itself, but it did make for a stunning photo nonetheless. The original picture is 1.1 MB, so I have reduced this one down. Anyone may PM me if they would like a copy of the original.

post-746-1201253142.jpg

Regards

Steve

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Catarpillar Valley Memorial. NZ Memorial looking over the cemetery later today. Close up's of memorial panels in a couple of weeks. J&K

post-28333-1201337856.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi john & Kathleen,

I have two gentlemen on the local memorial in Anstey Leics. who are remembered at Caterpillar Valley. If it is possible that you have their names on one of your photos and could send them to myself I would be very grateful indeed.

I'll send you a pm with my e mail address.

Regards. Llew.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The two gentlmen are,

William Bosworth 10/2866 Wellington Regiment Date of Death 27.9.1916.

Walter Putman 24/2275 New Zealand Rifle Brigade Date of Death 24.9.1916.

The names will help, I'm sure!!!!!!

Llew.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Llew,

we will look out for those two and send you a photo of the panels. We will be there in about a week from now.

Regards

J&K

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello Allie,

I would be very grateful if you or anyone else on the forum has photos or info on Ninian MacLachlan, maybe he's on the Wellington Memorial?

Name: MACLACHLAN, NINIAN

Initials: N

Nationality: New Zealand

Rank: Second Lieutenant

Regiment/Service: Wellington Regiment, N.Z.E.F.

Unit Text: 2nd Bn.

Age: 26

Date of Death: 27/08/1918

Service No: 40155

Additional information: Son of Peter and Susanna H. MacLachlan, of Terrace Cottage, Doune, Perthshire, Scotland. Native of Scotland.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: II. I. 4.

Cemetery: ADANAC MILITARY CEMETERY, MIRAUMONT

Ref. The Scotsman, 07/09/1918, p.10

'MACLACHLAN - Died of wounds on 27th August, Second Lieut. NINIAN MacLachlan, New Zealand Infantry, aged 26, son of the late Peter MacLachlan and Mrs. MacLachlan, late of Morren, Giffnock. - R.I.P.

Many thanks for the kind offer, much appreciated.

Jim

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi, Jim

If you look on the Auckland War Memorial Museum cenotaph here you'll find a photograph of Ninian. His next of kin is listed as his mother living near Havelock North (Mrs S.H. MacLachlan (mother), Tauroa, Havelock North, New Zealand).

I'd have expected him to therefore be on the Havelock North memorial, but he's not; I took photos of all the panels on that memorial about 10 days ago. Looking on the map of the area, I can't see a settlement named Tauroa and am wondering if it might be a country district? I'll look on photos of nearby memorials and see if he is on any of those.

Edit I've found a Tauroa Road leading out of Havelock North. It doesn't go to any settlement so, again, he should be on the closest memorial which is Havelock North. I've tried Hastings as that is a larger center nearby - no luck on that one either. I'm wondering if Ninian's mother had returned to Scotland by the time the CWGC were taking details for their registers, and the local people in Havelock North were erecting memorials?

That being said, my great uncle's CWGC listing has his parents being from Loch Broom in Ross-shire, when they were living in NZ and had been since 1901/02-ish.

Allie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Might he have had a brother here? On the nominal roll there is also a James William MacLachlan with a mother who is Mrs SH. Napier is just over from Hastings:

Surname MACLACHLAN

Given Name James William

Category Nominal Roll Vol. 3

Regimental Number 16147

Rank 2nd Lieut

Next of Kin Title Mrs S H

Next of Kin Surname MACLACHLAN

Next of Kin Relationship Mother

Next of Kin Address 10 Fitzroy Road Napier

Roll 55

Page 24

Occupation Sheep-farmer

Surname MACLACHLAN

Given Name Ninian

Category Nominal Roll Vol. 3

Regimental Number 40155

Rank 2nd Lieut

Next of Kin Title Mrs S H

Next of Kin Surname MACLACHLAN

Next of Kin Relationship Mother

Next of Kin Address Tauroa Havelock North

Roll 72

Page 6

Occupation Clerk

But Ninian isn't on the Napier memorial, either.

Allie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello again Allie and many thanks,

I'm bowled over by the response! The quote at the bottom of my post was from Ninian's obituary published in The Scotsman newspaper so I would assume he must have had some family in Scotland who paid for this, maybe some of the family did return to Scotland?

Ninian is listed on the Giffnock war memorial in Renfrewshire, just on the edge of the City of Glasgow. I'll add this information to my post on the Scottish War Graves Forum.

Again many thanks, any help is much appreciated.

Jim

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi, Jim

It is possible he may be on the main memorial in Wellington.

The big one in Auckland, at the Auckland War Memorial Museum, lists all the men (and women) who enlisted in the Auckland area who died. There are panels upon panels on the walls in the upstairs gallery, as you can imagine. There's a picture here which will give you some idea.

Local memorials were put up by residents of the towns, and they decided whose names went on. I'm not sure who paid for the Auckland War Memorial Museum, but all the names are there, not just those put forward by family members or friends. If family had left the district it's possible that a name was not put up on a local one such as Havelock North.

I've not been to the memorial in Wellington so have no idea if they have something similar to the AWWM. However, I have a feeling all the names are inscribed in books rather than up on walls.

Allie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi there,

Vic Hearn features in my book, On My Way to the Somme: New Zealanders and bloody offensive of 1916. He was a close friend of Howard Kippenberger, later a Major-General in WW2. I can take you to the exact place on the Somme battlefields where he died, having done that for my book research. He features a great deal in Kippenberger's diary. You will also find reference to him in another book titled Kippenberger. I have an account, also, of Hearn's body being found, and the grievous injury he sustained and other details that would be bad taste to publish here (although not too disturbing). Hearn is also mentioned in at least two other unpublished manuscripts - both by members of the 12th reinforcements - that I have copies of.

PM me if you want more details.

Andy M

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Andy, we have PM'd you. Thanks for the info on Vic Hearn. We would be interested to know where he was killed as we are back home in Longueval soon and would like to pay our respects.

John & Kathleen

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...