Description

The 40th & 50th Regiment Memorial, an obelisk erected in 1921, is located on private farmland along Bird Road between Pāterangi and Pirongia, west of Te Awamutu. This monument commemorates six soldiers from the 40th and 50th regiments who were killed in action at Waiari on 11 February 1864, during the New Zealand Wars.

The memorial is part of a network of war obelisks, including others at Pāterangi and Te Rore, and marks an area of layered historical significance, blending colonial military history with pre-European Ngāti Puhiawe (Ngati Hikairo) heritage. Nearby sites, such as Waddy’s Forward Post and Waiari Redoubt, further highlight the military activity in the region, although much of their physical evidence has been lost over time.