Waihi Cross of crosses laid again in time for Anzac Day

Waihi's Cross of Crosses is an impressive sight. Photo / Supplied

More than 240 students from five nearby primary schools along with Waihi Lions Club and Hauraki Woodturners Group members placed 2000 Fields of Remembrance crosses ready for Anzac Day in Waihi.

The crosses were part of the 18,000 crosses laid out in the Auckland Domain for the Armistice Centenary Field of Remembrance in 2018.

At the end of the commemorations, 2000 of these crosses were gifted to Waihi Heritage Vision and Tunnelling Company descendants.

Many of the soldiers named on the crosses are buried in military cemeteries in Europe.

One story of a Waihi soldier is of William Capstick, who was born in Australia and came to New Zealand to work as a miner in the Talisman Mine at Karangahake.

In 1914 he married Marian and they had two boys, John and Henry, who were named after Marian's father. A year after Henry was born, their mother died and the little boys went to live with their grandparents in Te Aroha, as William had to work in the mine.

William was accepted for the Army in 1916 and left with the 23rd Reinforcements aboard the ship Ruapehu - arriving in England after 10 weeks at sea.

He was sent to the Western Front in France the next year and wounded in October, recovered and sent back to the front.

He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

William was killed in action in heavy fighting near Hebuterne in France eight months later – he was aged 33 years. He is buried in France.

• Krishna Buckman is with Waihi Heritage Vision.