The foundation stone for the Ōpunake War Memorial was laid on Bowen Crescent by Governor-General Viscount Jellicoe on 27 October 1921. The Governor-General also unveiled the Pātea District High School memorial steps and memorials at Manaia and Auroa on the same day.
Originally, metal gates made by Mr Trotter, a local blacksmith, were located at the gateways to the monument. These were later removed.
From top down at front:
Eight Shields on the upper 2/3rds of the obelisk. From top down:
N / Fernleaf / Z
Belgium and olive branch
Egypt "
Samoa "
France "
Salonika "
Gallipoli "
Palestine "
[Panel of crossed swords, fernleaf, oak leaves and flaming grenade]
To the Memory / of / Our Boys / Who Fell in the / Great War / 1914-1918
Black granite plaque:
In Memory / Of Those Who Fell in the / 1939-1945 War
Morris W M Alvis W
GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN
White marble plaque in top concrete step:
This stone was laid by / His Excellency Lord Jellicoe / Governor General of New Zealand / 27th October 1921
Grey marble panel in fourth concrete step:
THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE
Right side black marble panel:
Affleck D * Cameron T
Aitken A J Campbell W J
Allan A Connell S
Baker H Connell W
Barlow H Cooper W G
Beech J T Coupe J
Bewley J Crofskey J
Billing F R Corkery T F
Billing A E MM Duckworth R F
Birkett H R Ewan G T
Bowman H F Fennell J J
Breed H A Fitzsimmons E J P
Burrows J H Farah J F
Buchler F J L Gibson W
Buchler J W Gilbert S
Callaghan C H I Graham A
Rear black marble panel:
Graham Jarrett W
Guild W A Julian M D
Harrop G A Julian E O
Hall E Kappely H
Hall R Kappely W
Hannam F Keasberry J C
Hawton L V Kelly R S
Hill R S Lampard J
Hodgson A F Laurenson G S
Hodgson H F Lawn W [M]
Hodgson R Looney W C
Holmes W J Lothian S D
Hurst C J Mawhinney R
James S G Morgan T
Jackson H McGarvie R
Jarrett W A Owen G
Left side black marble panel:
Paterson D Stephenson J H
Peters W Stevenson W
Pierson C Stitt A M
Pierson F Tindle J C
Phillips J H Travers J
Quickendon T Trotter C A
Rae R E Twomey H M
Raynor W Vincent M
Rowland E D N Warner A R H
Sharrock H Wells H
Shefford J Wells D K
Simmonds H Wheatey M
Simpson A
Smith H
Smith D
Smith W
Lower black marble panel:
2 NZEF (Japan) Korea
1946 - 1948 1950 - 1954
Malaya Malaysia Vietnam
Borneo 1964-1972
1955-1966
Notes:
'Quickendon' above should read 'Quickenden'.
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 of wounds on 25 April 1918. He is also remembered on the Awatuna Memorial.
Related document:
Ōpunake War Memorial Entry, Ōpunake Heritage Inventory (June 2003).
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