St Michael's Church at Ohaeawai

The tall column with the Celtic Cross that is clearly seen in this photo, is the Memorial to all of Despard's Forces who perished in this folly. In the early 1970s, a small party of which I was one, went on a Tour-of-Duty to the Pa site, from 1 Construction Squadron, Royal New Zealand Engineers - then based at Papakura Military Camp, to restore the Memorial with a new foundation, back to a vertical position. It was previously in imminent danger of toppling over, and from the photo, it appears that the work done has served the purpose well. All of the Sappers on the task were quartered as guests of a few families in the close vicinity of the Pa and Church. I spent a most memorable week as the guest of Mr. Froggie and Mrs Hannah Clarke, and years later visited the site once again, to pay my respects to Hannah, who on her death was buried in this Church Yard. Soon after returning to Papakura, I prepared and draughted a large illustrated scroll, which gave a brief description of the battle that had taken place at that site in June of 1845, and listed all the British Forces who died in battle. This was later handed over to the local whanau at the Church by the Adjutant of A Company, 3 Auckland and Northland Battalion, RNZIR, from Whangarei, and then ceremonially hung in the Church. I still have a photograph of that handover.