“Memorials”
Compiled and Presented by Sandie Gorst
The Great War of 1914-1918 was so terrible and inflicted such large numbers of casualties on all sides that when it was over it was believed by many to be “The War to end All Wars”. By the end of four years of fighting many thousands of families were affected by the tragedy of the wounding or loss of one or more of their own, and communities were depleted of many of their young men.
Preserving the memory of the people involved in the fighting, those people who were forever to be scarred by their involvement in the First World War, and the places ravaged by the war, was at the heart of a desire post war, to find a way to mark their participation in such a large-scale, world-changing event.
While preparing for our Mission Hall Centenary celebrations in September of 2015, Reverend Bryan Haggitt from our neighbouring St Barnabas Church, informed us of the existence of a marble memorial tablet which was in their possession but had never been erected within their complex.
With the passage of time it was unclear exactly when or how St Barnabas came to be the caretakers of this memorial, however they understood it had originated from our Mission Hall and generously offered its return. We graciously accepted and proudly displayed the tablet inside the Mission Hall during our Centenary celebrations in 2015 with the intention of further investigation.
Page 7 of The New Zealand Herald dated 1st August 1919 confirms the memorial was indeed unveiled at our Mission Hall and reads as follows:
TRIBUTE TO THE FALLEN
GLENFIELD MEMORIAL UNVEILED
An impressive ceremony took place in the Glenfield Mission Hall when a marble tablet in memory of eleven former members of the Sunday School who had lost their lives during the war was unveiled by Mr George Wilson, formerly headmaster of the Glenfield School. The service was conducted by the Rev. P. Cooks, himself a returned soldier, and at the conclusion the “Last Post” was sounded.
Staff at the Glenfield Community Centre arranged for the re-siting of the marble Memorial Tablet on the outside west wall of the Glenfield Mission Hall and a celebration was planned to commemorate the lives of the eleven men who never returned home to their families.
On a wet and wild Saturday morning of 9th September 2017, members of the local community gathered for the dedication, blessing and unveiling of the Memorial Tablet followed by tributes to the eleven fallen men and a morning tea.
Lest we Forget.
Photographs of our event can be seen below…
North Shore Times 7 Sep 2017
Jan Tasker, Rev Bryan Haggitt, Nigel Green
Brian Ellis,Lisa Ducat, Sandie Gorst, Jan Tasker and RevBryan Haggitt – Blessing of the Tablet
Unveiling Tablet – Nigel Green
Memorial tablet
Last Post and Reveille
Bruce Powell and 2Lt Damian Bluett-Marr, NZ Army
Kerry Wood, Principal Trumpet, Whenuapai Airforce Base Band
Reciting of The Ode – Bruce Powell
Ruth Jackson laying a tribute to JGW PARSONS
Sandie Gorst, Jan Tasker, Rev Bryan Haggitt, Nigel Green with Ruth Jackson, descendant of JGW PARSONS
Opening Address by Nigel Green, Manager GCC
Memorials – an introduction, presented by Sandie Gorst
Rev Bryan Haggitt – St Barnabas Anglican Church
Reading of the Names of the Fallen – 2nd Lieutenant Damian Bluet-Marr, NZ Army
Our Boys, Their Lives – written and presented by Sandie Gorst
Damian with Adderley J WILLCOCKS
Damian with Edward Watson & James Frederick EDMONDS
Damian with Frederick Joseph WHEELER
Damian with Frederick Sturge REDFERN
Damian with brothers Lawrence William and Claude Raymond READ
Damian with Joseph MARSHALL
Damian with John Gifford Wilmot PARSONS
Damian with George HALL
Damian with Alexander GRACIE
Wall of Remembrance
Duane Gorst – Friend of GCC
Jan Tasker and Brian Ellis – GCC Governance Board Members and Representatives of the Methodist Church with Rev Bryan Haggitt – St Barnabas Anglican Church
Jackie Robertson Hillcrest Lions
Background: Ruth Jackson & Mandy Ward, Nigel Green, Bruce Powell and 2Lt Damian Bluett-Marr Foreground: Jean Ferguson (nee EDMONDS), Margaret Benton (nee Timmins) and Richard Benton (WHEELER)
Sandie Gorst with Hillcrest Lion Jackie Robertson
Sandie Gorst with Bruce Powell – WW2 Veteran and former GCC Chairman. Mr Bruce Benton in background.
Ron Kilham
Todd Collis with his grandmother Jean Ferguson (EDMONDS), and Sandie Gorst
Background: Sharron Hewett, Bruce Benton (EDMONDS) Foreground: Frankie Godfrey-Robson, Sarah Nilson Seated: Margaret Benton (WHEELER)
2Lt Damian Bluett-Marr and Sandie Gorst
Sarah Nilson, Brian Ellis, Jan Tasker, Jackie Robertson
Mrs Jean Ferguson – EDMONDS descendant
Christopher, Mandy, Margaret and Richard Benton (WHEELER) with Sandie Gorst
Kaipatiki Local Board members John Gillon, Kay McIntyre and Danielle Grant
Background: Todd Collis, Jean Ferguson, Frankie Robson, Ron Kilham, Ivan Prince Forground: Bruce Benton, Frances Carrucan
Jan Tasker, Mandy & Christopher Benton (WHEELER)
Ivan Prince with Sharron Hewett and Sandie Gorst
Jean Ferguson & Margaret Benton
Nigel Green, Damian Bluett-Marr, Sandie Gorst, Bruce Benton, Rev Bryan Haggitt
Hillcrest Lions – Salota Kershaw, Jackie Robertson and Frances Carrucan
Ron Kilham and Frankie Robson Jean Ferguson and Todd Collis
Margaret Benton, Salota Kershaw, Bruce Powell, Frances Carrucan
Sandie Gorst, Ivan Prince, Mandy Ward
Lisa Ducat, Bruce Powell, Frances Carrucan, Salota Kershaw, Rev Bryan Haggitt
Mandy Ward & Ruth Jackson (PARSONS) with Sandie Gorst
Sharron Hewett and Bruce Benton (EDMONDS)
Frankie Robson, Lisa Ducat, Salota Kershaw, Frances Carrucan, Rev. Bryan Haggitt
Sandie Gorst with Mrs Margaret Benton (WHEELER)
Bruce Powell & 2Lt Damian Bluett-Marr
Ron Kilham and Bruce Benton
Rev Bryan Haggitt, Ivan Prince
Rev Bryan Haggitt and Bruce Powell
Todd Collis, Jean Ferguson, Christopher Richard & Mandy Benton, Danielle Grant
Damian Bluett-Marr, Sandie Gorst and Bruce Benton
