Pukeahu National War Memorial Park

Pukeahu National War Memorial Park in central Wellington is a public gathering place for ceremonial occasions and quiet reflection. It is a site with a rich history. In particular, it is where people come to remember the more than 30,000 New Zealanders who have died in war or military conflict, and to honor all those who have served.

The National War Memorial in Wellington commemorates all New Zealanders who died in the war in South Africa (Boer War), both World Wars, the wars in Korea, Malaysia and Vietnam and who died in peacekeeping operations around the world. The monument also commemorates the soldiers who served in these wars.

The Tomb of the Unknown Warrior contains the remains of an unidentified New Zealand soldier exhumed from the Caterpillar Valley Cemetery in the Somme region of northern France. The soldier is one of 9,000 New Zealanders killed overseas with no known graves and represents all New Zealanders killed in wartime.

The United Kingdom monument, titled Whakaruruhau, features intertwined pōhutukawa and oak trees. The shape of the canopy is reminiscent of a bird in flight and is intended to be aspirational, while the branches form the negative silhouette of a soldier to represent all who have served and continue to serve to protect our freedom.
The memorial recognizes and celebrates the partnership and shared sacrifice of New Zealand and the United Kingdom in times of war, conflict resolution and peace.

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Source

• Text: Fedor de Vries + TracesOfWar
• Photos: Pukeahu Park, Mark Tantrum (1), Christian Nieuwenhuize (2, 3, 4)