Howick and Pakuranga First World War memorial

Howick war memorial, c. 1986.

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Howick and Pakuranga First World War memorial

In 1920 construction began of a First World War memorial for the Howick and Pakuranga areas atop Stockade Hill, Howick. Governor-General Lord Bledisloe unveiled the substantial marble obelisk on 13 July 1921. In 1935 the Howick Ex-servicemen's Club erected a flagstaff nearby.

The names of 29 men and one woman who had given their lives were inscribed on the obelisk. The woman was Sister Frances B. Haultain, a civilian volunteer who had served as a nurse in Samoa, who died of meningitis in Fiji on 16 June 1916. For unknown reasons, two names were repeated on the obverse side of the obelisk (i.e. 32 inscriptions for a total of 30 names).

After the Second World War, the names of another 19 local men who had given their lives were added to the memorial.

For many years the obelisk served as the site for wreath-laying ceremonies, and in 1961 the entire Anzac Day service was held on the hill for the first time.

On 16 December 2016 the Howick Local Board held a ceremony to acknowledge the addition of four further First World War soldiers with Howick connections.

The original names on the obelisk are also listed on rolls of honour displayed on the memorial wall of the Howick & District RSA clubrooms in nearby Wellington Street.

Sources: 'Howick War Memorial: Unveiling by Governor: Obelisk on Historic Site', New Zealand Herald, 14/1/1921, p. 6; [photographs], Auckland Weekly News, 20/1/1921, supp. p. 34; ‘Howick News', Otahuhu News, 24/4/1935, p. 4; 'Anzac Day Observance at Howick', Otahuhu News, 2/5/1935, p. 4; [Photograph], Howick Post, 10/5/1961, p. 1; 'Large Turnout Honours War Veteran', Howick & Pakuranga Times, 27/4/2006, pp. 1, 8; 'Stockade Hill Echoes to the Sound of the Last Post', Eastern Courier, 28/04/2006, pp. 4-5; 'Honour for Hero', Howick & Pakuranga Times, 4/5/2006, p. 13.