Taradale RSA president Brayden Coldicutt in front of Taradale's World War I memorial, which was defaced by graffiti only a week before Anzac commemorations. Photo / Paul Taylor
Taradale RSA president Brayden Coldicutt in front of Taradale's World War I memorial, which was defaced by graffiti only a week before Anzac commemorations. Photo / Paul Taylor
Taradale's World War I memorial was defaced by graffiti as wreaths honouring fallen soldiers lay nearby after an Anzac commemoration.
A Napier City council spokesperson said they were first notified of the graffiti on Monday night and cleaned it up at 8am Tuesday.
The spokesperson said the graffiti was "reasonablyextensive" and was found on the side of the monument facing the roundabout.
They said there were no distinguishable features from the graffiti to identify a culprit.
The graffiti took place as wreaths lay nearby, from an Anzac commemoration organised "by young people, for young people''.
Six students from Taradale and Tamatea high schools had organised the Taradale Districts Spirit of Anzac Commemoration on April 12 with help from the Taradale Club Services Association.
Committee chairman Kees Tapine (left) and committee member Harry Berryman with the Taradale Spirit of Anzac committee which organised a pre-Anzac Day commemoration. Photo / NZME
The council spokesperson said unfortunately this was not the first time the cenotaph had been vandalised.
"Security fencing has been installed around part of the monument including gates which are locked at night, this has helped reduce the frequency of vandalism.
"Napier City Council does not condone vandalism of any kind, this act is particularly disrespectful.
"Thankfully, the graffiti has now been removed and we look forward to honouring those who served for their country at the Taradale Clock Tower on Anzac Day."
Taradale RSA manager Ben Allen said he was glad it had been cleaned up so promptly ahead of Anzac commemorations next Monday.
"It's fantastic the council were notified and obviously got stuck in and rectified it pretty quickly.
"It's the last thing we want, it's obviously a pretty important piece in the history of Taradale and Napier, the old clock tower."
He said the incident made him and others at the RSA a bit concerned for other monuments, but he believed most people were respectful of memorials and monuments.
"We've got a brand new memorial wall here at the RSA and we are sort of worried because that is white, that might be a prime spot for graffiti.
"We've been lucky ... well not lucky, but people have a bit more respect for those sort of things."
