This is a story from our monthly newsletter, Heritage this Month.
Paul Veart | Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland
After a recent review, New Zealand’s earliest built monument to the First World War is now a Category 1 historic place.
Commercial Bay isn’t the kind of place you usually associate with war memorials – with its high-rise construction and constant traffic, it can be a tricky spot to find a quiet moment for remembrance. But next time you’re at the intersection of Lower Albert and Quay Streets, take a look around: you might see one of the most striking monuments in the country.
The First World War Memorial Beacon was constructed by the Auckland Harbour Board to commemorate its enlisted employees and was first lit in December 1915 – the same month that ANZAC troops were evacuated from Gallipoli. This date makes it the earliest built memorial to the Great War in Aotearoa New Zealand.
The memorial has several other unusual features, including its practical use as a beacon to guide vessels into the port. This is believed to be unique amongst New Zealand war memorials and appears to be one of only a few undertaken internationally.
“The beacon had dual role,” says Heritage Assessment Advisor Alexandra Foster. “Alongside its everyday use, it can also be seen to have been symbolically guiding home the troop ships that departed Auckland’s wharves during the conflict.”
The beacon’s story doesn’t end at the cessation of the war. In 1969 it was dismantled and placed into storage, remaining there until 1999 when the obelisk and rolls of honour were uncovered in Shed 51 on Bledisloe Wharf. The memorial was re-established on the waterfront in 2000 thanks to an anonymous Jewish German refugee who funded restoration work.
In 2021-2022, it was re-sited at its original intersection and reinstated to its distinctive monumental design. A review of its entry on the New Zealand Heritage List Rārangi Kōrero was undertaken, upgrading the beacon to a Category 1 historic place.
First World War Memorial Beacon (List No. 9652)
New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero
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