Mr A.S. Sutherland, MP for Hauraki, formally opened the Taupiri War Memorial Hall on 8 March 1952. The facility included Plunket rooms, a library and a community hall.
The Taupiri Second World War roll of honour which was unveiled in the hall listed the names of five local men who had been killed in action and 62 men who had also served. The names of the fallen appeared on a bronze plaque set into the wooden memorial tablet: G. Braddock, H. Eagleson, W. Hodson, R. McFarlane and Pene Raniera (also known as Ben Daniels). Ivan Peek and R. Groves were added later.
See: ‘First Public War Memorial Officially Opened: Free of Debt’, Waikato Times, 10/3/1952, p. 1; ‘Taupiri Opens War Memorial’, NZ Herald, 10/3/1952, p. 8; Taupiri School Centenary 1878-1978, Taupiri, 1978, p. 21.
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