Te Rāwhiti war memorial

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Te Rāwhiti war memorial is located inside the grounds of Te Rāwhiti Marae on Rawhiti Road, east of Russell.

On 23 May 1948, a granite obelisk was unveiled at the marae to commemorate men from the area who had died during the two world wars. A war memorial dining hall was opened on the same day. The memorial obelisk has since been moved twice within the atea and the dining hall has been substantially rebuilt. 

The obelisk is inscribed with the names of two local men who gave their lives during the First World War (H.T. Waima Tawhai and J. Hakaraia), and eight who gave their lives during the Second World War (H.W. Matene, D. Maunsell, W. Hakaraia, W.T.K. Hau, M. Parkes, J. Kareko, B. Hakaraia and P. Howe).

The Te Rāwhiti Roll of Honour on display in the dining hall lists the names of 14 ex-pupils of Te Rawhiti Native School and residents of the settlement who served overseas during the two world wars. The First World War list has 14 names, including two headmasters of the school; the Second World War list has 28 names. Cecil James Blomfield MC served in both wars. R.L. Shepherd in his history of Te Rawhiti, published in 1966, noted that men from Te Rāwhiti have also served in J Force (Japan), Korea, Malaya and Vietnam.

For many years, members of the Russell RSA held their Anzac Day dawn service at Te Rāwhiti marae. Later, dawn parades were rotated between Russell, Te Rāwhiti and Ngaiotonga.

Sources: 'Maori Welcome Less Boring than Pakeha: Northland Elders Believe', Northern Advocate, 31/5/1948, p. 4; ‘Anzac Service at Te Rawhiti’ [photograph], Auckland Weekly News, 9 May 1956, p. 24; R.L. Shepherd, Te Rawhiti: A Short History, Te Rawhiti, 1966, pp. 19, 21, 29; Kay Boese, Tides of History: Bay of Islands County, Kawakawa, 1977, p. 233; Johnnie Kempthorne, ‘The Russell RSA’, Russell Review, 1998-1999, pp. 45-59; [cont.], Russell Review, 1999-2000, pp. 69-77; Te Rawhiti Marae website.