Peter Grant with fellow veterans at Taradale cemetery where they plan to plant totara trees for 66 of that district's World War I fallen. Photo / Paul Taylor
It will be 66 trees for 66 fallen.
Sixty-six totara — one for each of the Taradale district who fell serving their country during World War I and who failed to return home, and the timing for the planting could not be more appropriate.
They will be carefully planted at the Taradale Soldier's Cemetery off Puketapu Rd on June 5 — Arbor Day.
And for Peter Grant and fellow Veterans and Associated Service members based at the Taradale Community and Sports Club, the hope is for as many whānau and family of the 66 fallen to be part of the planting team.
To plant "their" tree for their lost one in a "Fallen Heroes Project" which is being run in conjunction with the Napier City Council and Tu Uru Rakau Forestry New Zealand.
"We want to locate any known whānau of our fallen in World War I who may wish to plant a tree for their family member," Grant said.
"Where we can't find whānau, a veteran or service member will plant the individual trees which will be marked with a cross that was in the Field of Remembrance at Anzac Days between 2014 and 2018."
Tamatea and Taradale High Schools had also stepped forward offering students to also be part of the planting crew.
Tu Uru Rakau Forestry initiated the nationwide project in 2018 with a three-year plan to plant 350,000 trees as part of Matariki Tu Rakau — an opportunity for communities to plant trees to recognise the service of all the men and women of the New Zealand Defence Force, past and present.
Tree plantings and local community-led celebrations began during Matariki 2018 with June and July being the middle of the planting season for most of the country.
It was timed to coincide with the 100-year anniversary of the end of World War I.
Grant said their planned 2018 planting had not been able to go ahead as availability of trees and poor weather went against them.
But on Wednesday, June 5 it will be all go.
It will be the first planting event planned to take place in the district over the next three years.
On Arbor Day 2020 trees will be planted as living memorials to those lost in World War II and other conflicts, and for 2021 trees will be planted to represent the community embracing their fallen heroes.
The intention is that a tree representing fallen local heroes will stand for the next century and beyond at the cemetery.
"Proudly beside their 'brothers and sisters' with whom they served and who now lie at the cemetery."
When the trees become established and larger, they will have name plaques of the fallen placed with them, but until then the crosses will stand with them.
While 66 totara will stand for the servicepeople of World War I from the district who did not return, there will also be a 67th tree planted, Grant said.
"For the unknown warrior."
He asked that anyone who lost a member of their whanau in World War I and wished to be involved in the project to contact the Veterans and Associated Services with contact details and the name of their loved one who did not return.
They can mail to Fallen Heroes Project, Taradale Club, 55 Wharerangi Rd, Napier, or email to michelle@taradaleclub.co.nz
The World War I Taradale District Roll of Honour
PRIVATE A. AH KEONG
PRIVATE H. BEACH
PRIVATE M. BECKETT
PRIVATE E. BENNETT
PRIVATE G. BENNETT
SURGEON CAPTAIN G.V. BOGLE
SERGEANT G.K. BOGLE
LIEUTENANT G.S. BOOGLE
SERGEANT MAJOR G. BRODIE
PRIVATE D. BUTLER
PRIVATE T.CAMPBELL
FLIGHT MAJOR G. CATO
PRIVATE W. CATTANNACH
PRIVATE D. CHALMERS
PRIVATE A. CODD
PRIVATE A. COKER
PRIVATE F.P. COLLINGE
PRIVATE T.E. DAWE
SERGEANT G. EBBETT
LANCE CORPORAL E. ERICKSEN
PRIVATE C. ERIKSEN
LANCE CORPORAL F. FARMER
PRIVATE P.W. FRENCH
PRIVATE E. GOODALL
PRIVATE H. GRAHAM
PRIVATE J. HALLETT
PRIVATE A. HARRIS
PRIVATE F. HEZEBECK
PRIVATE L. HOOKINGS
CORPORAL H. HOWARD
PRIVATE A. HOWARD
PRIVATE S. JOHNSTON
PRIVATE A. JOHNSTONE
PRIVATE M. KILKENNY
PRIVATE J. KING
PRIVATE R. KING
CORPORAL D. LASCELLES
PRIVATE A. LE QUESNE
PRIVATE F. MARTIN
PRIVATE H. MARTIN
PRIVATE J. MEAGHAN
PRIVATE F. MUHLEISEN
SERGEANT L. MURNANE
PRIVATE G.E. OGILVIE
PRIVATE J. O'SULLIVAN
PRIVATE G. PALLESON
PRIVATE F. PETERSEN
PRIVATE L. PLANK
PRIVATE S. PRIME
PRIVATE A. RAWIRI
SERGEANT T. RICHARDSON
CORPORAL A. ROBINSON
PRIVATE R. ROBINSON
LANCE CORPORAL W.C. ROBINSON
PRIVATE A. ROIL
PRIVATE F. ROSS
PRIVATE E. RUNDLE
PRIVATE F. SLOW
LIEUTENANT H. STEWART
PRIVATE A.TRACY
PRIVATE P. WALKER
PRIVATE G. WATMORE
PRIVATE G. WHITE
PRIVATE W. WHITTLE
PRIVATE C. WILLIAMS