My Account
The 64 small white crosses in the roped off Field of Remembrance on Cenotaph Park display the barest details of the Warkworth men who lost their lives in World War I.
But behind each number, rank, initial, surname and honour are the personal stories and family history for the descendants, many who still live in the area.
The men were remembered at the Field opening on Church Hill on March 25, with a short blessing by Reverend Jan Olsen, and will be honoured again on Anzac Day.
Relatives of Private George Knight Leonard Wyatt say seeing his white cross was an emotional moment.
The Great Uncle of Ros Guy and David Wyatt was only 24 when he was killed in the trenches of Belgium, on November 25, 1917. He was buried in one grave with nine other people.
“To see his name on his own cross was very emotional,” Ros says.
A report from the army said Private Wyatt was buried while the Germans were shelling them. His Captain planned to erect a cross with the names on it.
Ros and David knew of their grandfather’s brother, as their own father was named after him. But David says his grandfather never talked about him or the war.
It was not until the large bronze memorial penny was passed on and the centenary of World War I that the family began to research more about their relative.
David says it’s important that future generations learn about the service and sacrifices made.
Warkworth RSA president John Stephen says along with the public commemorations on Anzac Day, families may choose to do private ceremonies.
“This display is for all the people of the district to come and see the well-known family names here. But we also hope more descendants will, in their own time, come and do their own private remembrance, perhaps lay a poppy on the anniversary of when their loved ones lost their lives.”
The names of the men were carefully researched by the Warkworth RSA and double-checked with the national archives. The crosses were made by Warkworth RSA members and the Field of Remembrance was laid out the same way as the soldiers marched when they were alive.
Communities throughout New Zealand have been creating Fields of Remembrance on the 100th anniversary of Anzac Day and other major battles of WWI.
On Armistice Day, 11 November 2018, there will be a National Commemoration ceremony comprising a Field of Remembrance of 18,200 White Crosses for each New Zealander who died.
