Whangārei Boys' High School war memorials

Whangārei Boys' High School war memorials

Memorial Memorial Memorial Memorial Memorial Memorial Memorial Memorial

Beside the gate and leading down from it to the sports field is an avenue of pōhutukawa that were planted in 1934 by the Old Pupils’ Association as a memorial to 30 former pupils who were killed or died of wounds in the Great War. Each tree was planted by his next-of-kin or a deputy with the exception of two, which were planted by the president of the Old Pupils' Association, Mr D.W. Baird, who said at the time that memorial gates were also planned. Each tree had a guard on which was the name of the pupil who gave his life.

The memorial gates at the entrance to Whangārei Boys’ High School from Kent Road were presented to the school by the Old Pupils’ Association in memory of the ex-pupils of the school who fell in the Great War, 1914-18. The gates were unveiled by the president of the Association, Mr J. McLeod, on 11 September 1937.

Today three rectangular bluestone gate pillars stand at the entrance, joined by a low wall, which has been mostly removed between the right-hand pair. Iron mounts remain on the centre pillar, but no gates remain. The two left-hand pillars have been joined by a concrete slab bearing the school crest and name.

The central pillar has an inset stone plaque with the school crest and the inscription:

THESE GATES HAVE BEEN ERECTED BY THE WHANGAREI HIGH SCHOOL OLD PUPILS ASSOCIATION

The right-hand pillar has an inset stone plaque with the inscription:

IN MEMORY OF ALL OLD PUPILS WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-18

On the left pillar is a modern-looking stone plaque which reads

POHUTUKAWA DRIVE IN MEMORY OF ALL OLD PUPILS WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR OUR NATION

DONATED BY WHANGAREI RETUNRED SERVICES ASSOCIATION

In January 2015 the pohutukawa were heavily trimmed, in the expectation that they would regenerate from the trimmed limbs. At the same time a plaque was installed listing the names of 34 ex-pupils who died in the First World War. Nearby there is an earlier plaque listing the names of 100 ex-pupils and two former teaching staff who were killed in the Second World War.

New Zealand Herald, 30 June 1934, p. 12

New Zealand Herald. 14 September 1937, p. 3

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