Memorials to the Fallen in Nelson

Memorial to the Fallen in World War I

A stone monument of a soldier in the background with a white floral garden in thAbout

The memorial pays homage to those who died during World War One (1914-18).  A list of those who died, who were living within Nelson's boundaries as they were at that date, can be found on the city cenotaph in Anzac Park. Those who came from Stoke are listed on the Stoke Memorial Hall gates and those from Wakapuaka are listed on a memorial at the Wakapuaka Memorial Hall.

The Scriptorium at Nelson College has records of all the old boys who went away to war - these can be searched on request at the College.

Stories of Nelsonians Garfield Cornelius Jessop and Major F Stuckey who both died at Gallipoli can be found on www.theprow.org.nz .

Location

The Memorial to the Fallen in WWI is located to the west of the Church Steps on Cathedral Hill off Trafalgar Street and Selwyn Place.  

Memorial to the Fallen in the Boer War

About

A stone plaque. A marble plaque sits at the entrance to Nelson Cathedral and complements the Boer war statue that sits within Queens Gardens. Learn about the Boer War Statue at Queens Gardens.

Only thirteen names show on the memorial, not really reflecting the loss of life of New Zealanders in this conflict. Men from across Nelson were part of the many contingents of Mounted Rifles who went away, and the dead may not have been registered as from Nelson but from a wider South Island catchment.

One of the dead was William Aubrey Jennings whose story can be found on the PROW.

The memorial tablet reads:

A black and white image of riders on horseback. "Erected by the Public School children of Nelson Province in memory of the troopers from this district who lost their lives in the South African War 1899-1902: Leonard Matthews Tarrant, Philip Coster Best, Francis Pahl, John Neighoff Lunn, John Hawksworth, Ralph Vincent James, William Aubrey Jennings, George Hyde, Ernest George Emms, George C.D.Fowler, Joseph Precey Roberts, Robert Ernest Anslow, Sydney C.Harford.

Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori."

History

In 1897 the first NZ contingent had been taken overseas part of the Diamond Jubilee celebration in London. Many signed up for the armed forces as a result of  "jubilee fever' and these soldiers were sent to the Boer War which started on 12 October 1899 and finished in 1902. They went to South Africa to uphold the British flag in South Africa and gave their lives during 1899 to 1902. Khaki uniforms were introduced at this time for New Zealand soldiers.

The funds for providing this memorial were raised by means of a penny subscription from the children attending school in the Nelson district, and consequently there was a good attendance of young people to witness the ceremony, including the Central School Cadets when it was unveiled by his Lordship the Bishop of Nelson, assisted by the Rev. J.P.Kempthorne.

Location

The Memorial to the Fallen of the Boer War is located at the entrance to Nelson Cathedral at the cross of Trafalgar and Selwyn Streets.

For more information

For more information on heritage walks and heritage sites please contact Arts and Heritage Adviser.