Te Awamutu WW1

Te Awamutu First World War Memorial

Te Awamutu

Te Awamutu First World War Memorial

1923

Details

Location	Te Awamutu – Cnr Bank St & Teasdale St – Anzac Green
Commemorating	WW1
Mediums	Stone
Listing	HNZ Cat 2, Waipā District Plan Cat B
Links	NZ History, Te Awamutu Museum Collections Online

Description

The Te Awamutu First World War Memorial, unveiled by Governor-General Lord Jellicoe on May 30, 1923, commemorates the 58 local soldiers who lost their lives in World War I. The memorial features a 20-foot cenotaph topped with a statue of a New Zealand infantryman, carved from white marble.

The names of the fallen are inscribed on its sides, and the memorial was originally located on a triangle of land at the junction of Bank and Teasdale Streets, known as ‘Anzac Green.’ The site once displayed war trophies, including a field artillery piece, and a roll of honour listing those who served is now displayed at the Te Awamutu & District Memorial RSA clubrooms.

Rukuhia School War Memorial

Rukuhia

Rukuhia School War Memorial

1923

Details

Location	Rukuhia – 58 Rukuhia Road
Commemorating	WW1
Mediums	Stone
Listing
Links	NZ History

Description

The memorial was unveiled at the school on 7 June 1923, the sixth anniversary of the Battle of Messines. A newspaper report of the event says that 22 men from Rukuhia served in the First World War and of that number nine were killed or died of wounds and another nine were wounded.

The memorial, a stone obelisk located on the school grounds, was rededicated on Armistice Day, November 11, 2003. The original unveiling ceremony included speeches from local officials, a service, and the playing of the Last Post, highlighting Rukuhia community’s dedication to honouring the sacrifices of its soldiers.

Rangiaowhia Memorial Stone

Rangiaowhia Memorial

Rangiaowhia

Rangiaowhia Memorial Stone

2024

Details

Location	Rangiaowhia – Rangiaowhia Road
Commemorating	NZ Land Wars
Mediums	Stone
Listing
Links	NZ History – Rangiaowhia, Te Ara Wai Journeys – Rangiaowhia

Description

The Rangiaowhia Memorial Stone, unveiled in 2014 by Tainui, commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Crown’s attack on the undefended village of Rangiaowhia on February 21, 1864.

This attack targeted a refuge for women, children, and elderly men, resulting in the deaths of at least seven individuals when Crown forces set fire to a whare. The memorial stands near the site of the tragedy, with St Paul’s Anglican Church and its cemetery marking the location of the former village.

Rangiaowhia War Memorial

Rangiaowhia

Rangiaowhia War Memorial Domain

1952

Details

Location	Rangiaowhia – Rangiaowhia Road
Commemorating	WW1, WW2, K Force (Korea), V Force (Vietnam, United Nations Peacekeeping Forces
Mediums	Stone, wooden whakairo
Listing
Links	NZ History, Te Ara Wai Journeys – Rangiaowhia

Description

The Rangiaowhia War Memorial Domain, located on Rangiaowhia Road near Te Awamutu and adjacent Hairini Hall, commemorates those who served in WWI, WWII, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and United Nations peacekeeping forces. The domain features three memorial objects: gates dedicated on 20 October 1952, a memorial rock with plaques honouring Māori soldiers, and a carved Pou representing various military services.

The gates, inscribed with the years “1914-1918” and “1939-1945,” originally had an arch that has since been relocated behind them. The memorial rock includes a plaque with the Māori version of the song “It’s a long way to Tipperary,” dedicated to those who gave their lives for future generations.

Ō-Rākau Memorial

Ō-Rākau

Ō-Rākau Land Wars Memorial

Circa 1911

Details

Location	Ō-Rākau – 302 Arapuni Road
Commemorating	NZ Land Wars
Mediums	Stone
Listing	Waipā District Plan Cat B+
Links	NZ History, Ministry for Culture and Heritage Manatū Taonga, Te Awamutu Museum Collections Online, Te Ara Wai Journeys – Ō-Rākau

Description

The Ōrākau Battle Site Memorial commemorates one of the most renowned battles of the New Zealand Wars in March-April 1864. This obelisk honours the Māori defenders, led by Rewi Maniapoto, who famously declared “Ka whawhai tonu mātou, āke, āke!” (“We shall fight on forever!”) while resisting overwhelming British forces.

The memorial was probably erected in late 1911 or 1912 and unveiled on 1 April 1914. The memorial marks the site where over 300 Māori, including women and children, made their last stand, enduring heavy casualties before many escaped or were captured. Though no physical traces of the pā remain, the site remains a symbol of courage and resilience.