Manawatu Guardian
By Joe Hollander
11 Oct, 2023
Palmerston North war memorials deserve respect, not vandalism, says RSA vice-president Joe Hollander
Joe Hollander says there needs to be more education and understanding in the community about what memorials like the Palmerston North Cenotaph represent. Photo / Judith Lacy
OPINION
I am appalled at the increasing vandalisation of our memorials in Palmerston North.
I am a ratepayer, and one who has spent nearly a third of my life in uniform with the NZ Army and in voluntary service within the community.
The city council has spent well over $100,000 this year on repairing damage caused by vandals, including four graffiti attacks to date on the Palmerston North Cenotaph in Te Marae o Hine/The Square. This is unacceptable and inappropriate behaviour and must be stopped.
About 1430 residents of the Palmerston North area made the ultimate sacrifice in service of our country and died in myriad wars and conflicts, from the South African wars of the late 19th century and World War I and II to the wars in Korea, Malaya and Vietnam, right up until the present day.
Their names are inscribed on the cenotaph, which is a memorial to their sacrifice and service and should be given the respect it deserves.
Other areas where sacrifice has been recognised and respect should be shown, and also where significant damage has occurred through this disgraceful vandalism, include our two service cemeteries at Kelvin Grove and Terrace End, as well as Memorial Park.
This mindless action has no benefit and is an affront to the individuals and their whānau who have made this sacrifice. Most of the damage has been caused by younger members of our community, and unless their parents, whānau, peers and colleagues take measures to prevent this, then sacrifice and service will have no meaning in life.
There needs to be more education and understanding in the community and schools to focus on the need for respect and the sacrifices made by others, so that we live in a free and friendly democratic society based on respect.
Perhaps the individuals who are caught causing this damage could also be made to repair it and become involved in supervised community service, including cleaning up and rectifying their mess, and also improving their understanding of the sacrifice made and the respect required.
The community should not tolerate such disgraceful behaviour and must take such measures as are necessary to prevent this from happening. We cannot accept this lack of respect and must take action to stop it.
In the closing words of The Ode of Remembrance, recited on Anzac Day, Armistice Day and also in all RSA clubs: “Ka maumahara tonu tatou ki a ratou – We will remember them”.
Armistice Day is just one month away on November 11, when we will gather again at the cenotaph.
Joe Hollander is the chairman of the Palmerston North Defence Heritage Advisory Group and vice-president of the Palmerston North RSA.
Soldier's grave recognised after it went unmarked for over 100 years
Manawatu Standard, 26 April 2022
Adam Blackwell12:03, Apr 24 2022
A soldier who served in the Boer War and Gallipoli campaign but later died in a train accident, has been recognised with a headstone after his grave went unmarked for over 100 years.
Alexander William Roberts was buried without a headstone in Terrace End Cemetery in Palmerston North in 1917.
On Saturday that was rectified with the unveiling of a headstone dedicated to him and his father, John Roberts, who is buried with him.
Alexander Roberts survived both wars, but died when he was run over by the Auckland Express train at Marton Junction on August 22, 1917.
Palmerston North RSA executive member Ian Bailey discovered Roberts’ grave when he was searching the cemetery system for someone called William Robert and accidently put an ‘S’ on the end.
Since then, he was determined to instal a headstone in recognition of Alexander Roberts and his father.
Bailey said Alexander Roberts was discharged from Gallipoli with dysentery, but also suffered an injury to his hand when it was hit by shrapnel.
He was on his way from Whanganui to Palmerston North when he had to switch trains in Marton.
In doing so, he slipped and fell trying to get onto the train while it was moving.
“His mother always reckoned it was that damage to his right hand that caused him to miss grabbing hold of the carriage on the train and slipping underneath and getting killed,” Bailey said.
Ever since his discovery of Roberts, Bailey had been lobbying the Ministry of Culture and Heritage for it to put a headstone on his grave, but it would not.
After that, Simon Strombom from The New Zealand Remembrance Army got involved and said he could do it through Veterans' Affairs.
Relatives from Taranaki were travelling down to be there when the headstone was unveiled, one of those was Peter Millar, whose great uncle was Alexander Roberts.
Millar said he had always known about Roberts, but it had been an interesting journey to learn more.
He was unsure why there was never a headstone on the grave but was grateful there would be one there now.
“It’s a mark of recognition, we do appreciate the efforts that Ian Bailey and Simon Strombom went to.”
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