Lest We Forget: A century of honouring district’s fallen soldiers

SENTRY CENTURY: Next week’s Anzac Day commemorations at the Cenotaph on the Esplanade will have extra special significance. It will be 100 years since the official opening of what was then known as the Gisborne War Memorial. Drone picture by Ben Cowper

Gisborne's Cenotaph will be 100 years old on Anzac Day.

The Poverty Bay Herald (as it was known back then) estimated 3000 people attended the official opening of what was then named the Gisborne War Memorial on Anzac Day, 1923 — less than five years after the end of World War 1.

The 1923 Anzac Day service was described by The Herald as being impressive and inspiring and “although to many it brought reflections of sorrow and suffering, the overpowering feeling of the large assemblage was that of honour to the dead and tribute to their comrades  . . .”

The three-metre-high, 1.2-tonne marble statue memorial was designed by local architect and war veteran Edward Armstrong, and was unveiled by Colonel Charles Melvill.

He said he had “never seen a memorial in the Dominion to match it”.

Colonel Melvill was a one-time commander of the New Zealand Division in the later stages of World War 1 and became Commandant and General Officer Commanding the New Zealand Military Forces in 1924. He died suddenly in 1925.

The “keynote of Anzac Day” was pride, he said.

The response of men from Gisborne (in joining up) was second to none in the Dominion.

He referred to a William Bremner signing up despite being over age. He returned home wounded, as did one of his sons, but two other sons were killed.

“It had been a bad day for him but what glorious memories he must have,” Colonel Melvill said in his speech.

Other speakers included Cabinet minister Sir James Carroll and MPs Kenneth Williams and Douglas Lysnar, a former Gisborne mayor.

The opening ceremony consisted of returned soldiers, cadets and territorials marching from the Garrison Hall (a vast building — destroyed by fire in 1931 — located on the site of the former Army Hall) to the new memorial site.

The ceremony opened with the singing of God Save the King, followed by Chopin’s Funeral March, numerous prayers and playing of The Last Post.

Large crowds assembled next to the Cenotaph and on the other side of the river.

Hundreds of floral wreaths were laid in front of the monument.

The Cenotaph originally featured on bronze plaques the names of 575 local men killed during World War 1. Another 474 names were added after World War 2.

And since 1945 the names of five men who fell in Malaya, two in Korea and two in Vietnam have been added.

The Cenotaph suffered major damage in the earthquake of December, 2007.

Repairs started in 2013 which included the marble soldier on top of the Cenotaph being removed and put on display at Marina Park.

The total cost of the restoration project was around $1 million. Funding came from the Lottery Grants Board and insurance.