ANZAC Park

ANZAC Park Cenotaph

The war memorial used to be part of the old bridge that crossed Saltwater Creek on the port side of the park and consists of three pillars and a central cenotaph and now is the central piece in ANZAC Park. The names on the plaques at the ANZAC Park Cenotaph were compiled by the Nelson Returned Services Association. They only include those who were residents of Nelson prior to enlisting for services and they observe the boundaries of Nelson as they were at that time. Residents of Stoke are listed on the plaque at the reserve up Marsden Valley and on the memorial gates beside the Stoke Hall. Those from Wakapuaka and the Whangamoa area are on the plinth beside the Wakapuaka Hall.  The three pillars note key locations where New Zealand armed forces were in combat. An additional plaque was added to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the landing at Gallipoli to the monument in 1990. An additional plaque was added in 1992, to the monument to commemorate those who gave their lives during the Korean War 1950 – 1953. Around the park under trees planted in memorium can be found various plaques commemorating different sectors of the armed services.

History

The memorial plans were agreed to by the RSA in February 1955 and in 1957 the names of the servicemen who lost their lives during the war were finalised for inclusion on the memorial’s plaques. In 1958, 13 years after the war ended, the memorial was officially recognised. The memorial remained here for 30 years until 18 March 1988, when all 15 tonnes of the concrete War Memorial was relocated from Halifax Street bridge to ANZAC Park.

The Prow

The library research website www.theprow.org.nz has the stories of several Nelson soldiers who died in World War II including pilots Henry Trent and Grenville James McFarland, the two brothers Ching and Private F.E. Creasy who was killed at Monte Cassino.

Location

ANZAC Park is located between Haven Road and Rutherford Street just off Halifax Street.