Ōmāhu war memorial, Coromandel

Ōmāhu war memorial, Coromandel

Omahu First World War memorial

Omahu First World War memorial showing names

 

Ōmāhu is three kilometres north of Hikutaia, on the Coromandel Peninsula between Paeroa and Thames. The granite memorial obelisk that stands inside the gates of  the Ōmāhu cemetery was originally unveiled in the Wharepoa School grounds on 25 June 1922. It was inscribed 'In memory of the men from Wharepoa & Ōmāhu who fought in the war 1914-1919'. It listed a total of 39 names. The names of the nine men who had given their lives were marked with a cross (H.G.H. Ensor, A. Hill, A. Innis, E. Innis, T. Handley, V.R. McCollum, E. McCollum, A. McCollum, B. Thorn). 

The memorial was moved to the cemetery after the closure of the school. It was rededicated there on Anzac Day 1973.

For more information, see: 'Wharepoa-Omahu: war memorial', Thames Star, 11/5/1922, p. 5; 'Unveiling ceremony: Wharepoa-Omahu memorial', Thames Star, 26/6/1922, p. 4; Angela Morrison, 'Relocation of Wharepoa War Memorial', Ohinemuri Regional History Journal, no. 33, September 1989. The cemetery also contains the grave of Alfred Edward Innes, fourth son of Mr and Mrs E. Innes of Wharepoa, who was severely wounded at Messines, and who died after years of suffering at his home on 3 August 1921  ('Obituary: A.E. Innes', Thames Star, 4/8/1921, p. 4).

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