Manaia War Memorials - Obelisk & Bandstand (1921-1922)

The Manaia WWI memorials consist of an obelisk (1921) and a band rotunda (1921-22) located in the town's Octagon. The obelisk was unveiled on 27 October 1921 by Governor-General Lord Jellicoe along with that at Auroa and the foundation stone of the Opunake Memorial. Work on the band rotunda had yet to begin and, as a result, a postponement of the obelisk unveiling was suggested but not proceeded with because of the Governor-General's future unavailability. The Taranaki Daily News reported on 8 November 1921 that the contractor, Mr G. Edwards had made a start on the band rotunda. However, it was nearly two years later before the work was complete, the Hawera & Normanby Star reporting that that Messrs. Jones & Sons had recently inserted the marble slabs with the soldiers' names inscribed on them.

Later in his 1921 Taranaki visit, the Governor-General unveiled the Bell Block Memorial on the 30 October and may have unveiled the Pātea District High School memorial steps on his way from Whanganui to Manaia.

In 1969 due to the deteriorating condition of the band rotunda there were concerns that it would be demolished.The band rotunda later featured in the South Taranaki District Council Heritage Inventory. 

A second red granite obelisk on the western side of the Octagon is to the Armed Constabulary and Pātea Field Force of the New Zealand Wars.

Manaia Obelisk (1921)

Front upper:

To Our / Glorious Dead / Who Fell in the / Great War / 1914-1918

[VE Day 1995 and VJ Day 1995 plaques removed around 1999 to rear face]

Front lower:

2NZEF (Japan)          Korea

1946-1948                   1950-1954

Malaya     Malaysia        Vietnam

Borneo                                    1964-1972

1955-1966

Left side:

Aitken A                     Campbell A A

Allison C H M                Campbell C C

Anderson  H J H          Clague J E

Anstey C                     Clegg J E

Barlow E                     Cunningham L J

Bennett E                    Davidson J

Butler L                      Dixon  A

Cadman A                   Doak S

Fendall F S

Right side:

Gamelin E                   Lloyd T

Gilmour A J                McConachie D

Hamerton W               Meuli L W

Hill C                          Murphy P

Hughes C                    Parry P L

Hughes J                    Paterson D

Johnston R C             Poole M L

Le Fleming W K         Ricketts L S

Leslie J W                   Young O M

Rear:

Lest We Forget / In Memory of / those who served / in World War II / 1939-1945

Three bronze plaques:

VE Day 9 May 1995

VJ Day 15 August 1995

100^th Anniversary of 1^st NZ troop deployment overseas 1999

Manaia Bandstand (1921-22)

Please click here to see a list of all names. 

White marble panel 1:

Men of the Waimate West County / 1914 and Manaia Town District 1918 / Who served in the Great War / + denotes those who made the supreme sacrifice

White marble panel 2: Four columns of 22 names each.

White marble panel 3: Four columns of 22 names each.

White marble panel 4: Four columns of 20 names each.

White marble panel 5: Dulce et decorum / Est pro patria mori / 1914 -1918

White marble panel 6: Four columns of 20 names each.