Whangaroa RSA centenary celebrated over two days and new book

Whangaroa RSA president Captain (retired) Reverend Kevin Herewini (from left), Fiona Craig and Tony Kay with a copy of A Century of Stepping Up – Whangaroa RSA 1925-2025 hot off the press.

A book celebrating the hundredth anniversary of the Whangaroa RSA was launched at a special two-day Anzac Day commemoration event held in Kāeo on April 24-25.

Entitled A Century of Stepping Up – Whangaroa RSA 1925-2025, the book captures many of the stories and experiences of men and women from Whangaroa and the surrounding districts who served overseas during World War I and World War II, and those who kept things going at home.

The small community of Whangaroa lost 32 men to the war. Last month, Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro visited the Whangaroa RSA building in Kāeo to mark the centenary.

To honour the occasion, there were two days of events on Thursday and on Friday – Anzac Day.

Whangaroa author Fiona Craig completed the 18-month research and writing project, assisted by her partner, Tony Kay, who designed the book.

The book was launched as part of a service led by Bishop Kito Pikaahu and Whangaroa RSA president Reverend Kevin Herewini, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Kāeo War Memorial Library, which was officially opened on Anzac Day 1925.

The celebration also included a presentation on World War II in Northland by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Northland manager Bill Edwards and volunteer researcher Jack Kemp; followed by a group bus tour that included such points of interest as Radar Hill, the radar station overlooking the Whangaroa Harbour, established in 1942 to monitor air and coastal traffic as part of New Zealand’s defence during World War II.

Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro visited the Whangaroa RSA building in Kāeo last month ahead of the memorial building celebrating 100 years on April 25 – Anzac Day.

The Kāeo War Memorial Library is listed on the New Zealand Heritage List Rārangi Kōrero as a Category 2 historic building and is one of just a small number of World War I memorial libraries in New Zealand – only seven in the country – that commemorate the fallen from that war.

Funds to build the library – constructed in the California Bungalow style of architecture – were raised through donations from the small community with a loan to obtain finance for the project, paid back within 18 months.

A Century of Stepping Up – Whangaroa RSA 1925-2025 costs $50 per copy.

Copies of this book may be purchased at the Whangaroa Museum and Archives Society.

Copies may also be ordered through Whangaroa RSA treasurer Lorraine Goulton by email on lorrainegoulton1@gmail.com.