Awatuna War Memorial (after 1921)

A monument to the men of Awatuna who lost their lives in the Great War, located on Eltham Road. A meeting was held on 3 August 1921 in the Awatuna Hall to discuss a war memorial for the district. In December the Hawera & Normanby Star reported that fundraising was progressing well and that it was hoped to collect all the money before work began. At this stage it is not known when the memorial was officially unveiled.

There appear to have been no locals killed during the Second World War as the Awatuna School Centennial booklet does not include any nor have any names been added to the memorial.

Also included on the monument is Corp. James Robert Gatenby who was killed in Vietnam on 5 June 1969. His body was returned to New Zealand in 2018 and buried at Ōpunake.

Awatuna School is now closed.

Inscription:

[Olive Leaf Wreath]

1914 - 1918

For King and Country

Erected
by the residents of the
Awatuna District
to the memory of their men
who fell in the
Great War

2 NZEF (Japan)        
1946 - 1948            

Korea

1950 - 1954

Malaya, Malaysia Borneo           

1955 -1966                                

Vietnam

1964 - 1972

Left side:        

Corp Wall, P     

Pvts Simpson Alan 

" Bourke J  

" Mawhinney R 

" Mawhinney A  

" Graham A  

Right side:

Pvts Graham G

" Parkinson  H

" Smith A   

" Cameron T

" Affleck     

" Duff C     

Note: 

Private David Affleck (14916) died of wounds on 25 April 1918, and was buried at Doullens Communal Cemetery Extension No 1 in Somme, France. David was the son of Robert and Jessie Affleck of Opunake and worked as a farmhand before the war. He enlisted on 15 February 1916 and left New Zealand on 26 June 1916 with the 14th Reinforcements Canterbury Infantry Battalion, C Company. His last service unit was the 2nd Battalion Canterbury Regiment. He was wounded on 5 October 1917 and admitted to hospital where he died on 25 April 1918, Anzac Day. He is also remembered on the Opunake Memorial.

Rear:

Vietnam
Corp Gatenby J R

James R. (Jim) Gatenby was killed in action in Vietnam on 6 June 1969 and buried in Malaysia. His body was returned along with 27 others in 2018 and his remains buried in Ōpunake Cemetery.