The Auroa War Memorial commemorates the men of the district who fell in the First and Second World Wars. It was unveiled on the corner of Auroa and Skeet Roads by Governor-General John Rushworth Jellicoe (later Viscount Jellicoe) at 2.40pm on 27 October 1921, along with those at Pātea School, Manaia and Opunake. Made out of white Italian marble on a granite pedestal, the memorial is a statue of a New Zealand soldier in uniform, standing with downcast eyes, his hands resting on a reversed rifle.

A memorial committee had been established on 14 May 1919, appointed by the residents of the district, to organise the monument which involved clearing a considerable amount of boxthorn hedge from the site. The memorial was described as "one of the finest and most conspicuous in Taranaki". The Second World War names were added in 1948, with an unveiling ceremony led by local MP Ernest Bowyer Corbett.

Inscription on front:

To the Glorious Dead

Pvt H J L Anderson [Herbert John Lancelot Anderson]
Gnr A A Campbell [Archibald Campbell]
Corpl J E Clegg [James Elias Clegg]
Pvt A B Curry [Albert Bert Curry]
Pvt S W Doak [Samuel William Doak]
Rflm R G Johnstone [Reginald George Johnstone]
Rflm H Parkinson [Harold Parkinson]
Trpr M L Poole [Moslyn Poole]
Pvt A Smith [Alfred Smith]

Killed in the / World's Great War / 1914-1919

Inscription on base:

World War I / This Memorial was unveiled by / Lord Jellicoe / on 27th October 1921

Inscription on left:

To the Glorious Dead / 1939-1945
Gunr J Skinner [Jim Skinner]
Sgt Plt P J Hooper [Percy Hooper]
2nd Lieut C J O'Dea [Cornelius James O'Dea]
Pvt C Murfitt [Cecil Murfitt]
LAC R Furey [Rex Patrick Furey]
Pvt C McLean [Colin McLean]

Lower inscription on base:

World War 2 / This Memorial was unveiled by / E B Corbett Esq MP / on 15th August 1948

 

Related Information

Website

Auroa War Memorial

Link

Auroa Fallen Soldiers' Memorial unveiling notice (Hawera & Normanby Star 25 October 1921)

Link

Memorial unveiled: Governor visits South Taranaki (Hawera & Normanby Star 28 October 1921)

Link

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