Ohinemuri Regional History Journal 39, September 1995
By Gordon Mathieson
April 25, 1995 reminds us that it is now 80 years since the ill-fated landing on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey in what was New Zealand's first action in the First World War. The futility of that campaign, and of the senseless slaughter in later battles, such as at Flanders, on the Somme, at Passchendaele and elsewhere, is well documented.
Approximately 180 ex-pupils of Paeroa D.H.S. served in what was to become known as "The Great War," and to ensure that their names would not be forgotten by later generations, a "Roll of Honour" was commissioned. A report in the "Ohinemuri Gazette" of 12 March 1919 reads as follows:
OLD PAEROA SCHOOLBOYS
A movement has been commenced by Mr R J Hamilton, the Headmaster of Paeroa District High School to fittingly do honour to ex-pupils of the school who have fought in the Great War. With this end in view, cash contributions are being collected and it is hoped that a substantial sum will be gathered.
The task of collecting the names, which is no easy matter, is in the hands of Miss Minnie Shaw, who has already over 100 names of ex-pupils.
The completion of the above was realised the following year, and a ceremony for the official unveiling was organised as reported in the Gazette of 20 December 1920.
UNVEILING OF ROLL OF HONOUR -WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1920
A solemn ceremony took place in the Drill Hall, presided over by Mr W H Taylor (Chairman of P.D.H.S. Committee) by which the official unveiling of the Roll of Honour look place.
Mr G H Taylor (Headmaster) stated that it was an honour for him to be associated with the gathering. It was in 1914 that the Drill Hall had been occupied by those sending the boys away, and that today tribute was being paid.
His Worship, the Mayor of Paeroa, Mr P E Brenan performed the unveiling of the Roll of Honour - made by Mr Charles Clews, and inscribed by Mr Chaplin of Hamilton. Also present in the official party were: Mr Hugh Poland (M.P.), Col. E W Porritt and Mr D W Dunlop (Advisory Inspector for the Auckland Education Board, and former Headmaster - Paeroa D.H.S. 1912-16)."
The Roll of Honour was subsequently hung on the wall in the corridor parallel to Wood Street, of the 1921 extensions. There it remained for the next 56 years until the shameful demolition of the large building in which it hung, in 1977.
After this, certain events conspired that could have seen the loss of this most historic item. Following the 1981 flood it was put in storage but about four years later - by a strange quirk of fate - it was seen at the local rubbish tip little the worse for wear. Most fortunately the then proprietor of the Paeroa Hotel, Mr Oilie Boyd happened to visit the tip and rescued the Roll of Honour from the bulldozer. It was presented to the Returned Services Association where the late Mr Bill Waines met the cost of refurbishment, in 1985.
The Paeroa D.H.S. Roll of Honour now hangs in the foyer of the Paeroa R.S.A. Club, to the right of the main entrance off Belmont Road, a fitting tribute to those who served their country during World War I.
The respect still held for those who served in all wars New Zealand has been involved in (W.W.I, W.W.II, Korea and Vietnam) is borne out in the continued good attendances at Anzac Day functions, nationwide, even after 80 years.
The names on the Roll of Honour are listed on the following pages. It should be noted that two of those listed were teachers - namely S J Bishop and F J Wilks. In 1995 it is highly improbable that any survive today, the last known survivor being Fortescue ("Forty") Moresby. I have endeavoured to supply first names where possible and dates of death, achieving a coverage of more than 60%. An * beside the name denotes killed on active service.
THEIR NAMES SHALL LIVE FOREVER
GALLIPOLI - FRANCE – EGYPT
ROLL OF HONOUR
PAEROA DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL
1914 - 1918
* Adolph, Victor
* Algie, Colvin S (21/7/16)
Alley, Charles Robert (6/11/77)
* Alley, Frederick (13/12/17)
Avery, C
Barrett, Daniel
Barrett, James (14/1/81)
Bellingham, Arthur
Bellingham, E
Bishop, Samuel J
Bray, Charles
Bray, Ralph
Brenan, A
* Brenan, Errol Lyndon (4/10/17)
Brennan, F
Brennan, L
Burgess, C
Burrell, M
Burrell, V
Campbell, A
Capill, William
Carthy, John Christopher
* Carthy, Thomas (21/7/18)
* Carthy, Victor Claude (7/6/17)
* Cashen, C
Chalton, R
* Chamberlain, Leonard Oswell (26/8/18)
Chamberlain, Martin Henry (14/5/31)
* Chinnery-Brown, A
Chinnery-Brown, J
Clarke, A
Clarke, W
Coote, E
Corkill, Eric
Corkill, F Malcolm
Corkill, Harold
Crosbie, William Thomas (Tom) (13/10/71)
Crosby, Matthew
Crosby, William George (Bill) (16/5/75)
Davis, Charles
Davison, Joseph (7/10/71)
Delany, R
Dempsey, G
Edwards, Cedric (27/1/67)
Edwards, Edwin (28/1/64)
Edwards, Parry
Evans, E
Evans, Norman
Farley, G
Farley, H
Fawcett, John W (Jake)
Feeney, G
Flatt, Leslie J
Forgie, L
* Gambling, Alfred (9/6/15)
* Gambling, Ernest Walter (3/7/16)
Gambling, S
Gardner, A H
Gardner, N F
Gentil, Walter
Gibbons, C
Goldsworthy, William
Gordon, Arthur William
Gosper, E
Griffiths, George
Haines, Edward A
* Hamilton, Colin (3/12/17)
Hamilton, Norman (16/1/74)
* Hamilton, William (6/11/17)
Hampton, Herbert (12/7/77)
Hanna, A
Hanna, S
Harston, Ernest
Harston, N
Hart, George
* Holwell, John Henry (28/12/17)
Hubbard, Frederick Cecil (10/7/71)
Jenkins, Cliff
Kemp, L
Kennedy, Ivan (23/10/38)
Kenny, Charles
Kenny, Courtenay (13/8/62)
King, E
King, J
Lawrence, Arthur (20/11/77)
Littlejohn, H
Lowry, Andrew John
Lyes, A
* Lyes, Harry Campbell (19/4/17)
Mahony, William
* Manning, Frederick (19/10/18)
* Manning, Langley (25/4/15)
Mannix, W
McArthur, J
McCarthy, A
McCarthy, J
McCombie, C
McGeehan, Barney
McGeehan, Jack
McGeehan, M
McKee, Kenneth Gray
McLaughlin, D
* McWilliams, R
* Miller, George
* Miller, Jack Stanley (27/7/17)
Miller, Percy
Moore, Eric Severs (11/2/65)
Moore, John H
Moresby, Fairfax
Moresby, Fortescue James (10/10/91)
Morgan, Ernest (6/8/69)
Morris, Bennett John (11/2/66)
Moverley, A
Mullins, G
Nathan, Cyril
Patterson, William Edward (10/8/58)
Peke, Harold
Pennell, George (16/7/74)
Pennell, Harold (15/3/49)
Pennell, Herbert Walter (12/9/42)
Pennell. Joseph (4/7/57)
Pennell, Thomas (11/2/58)
Pennell, William Patrick (3/4/71)
Phillips, A
Phillips, W
* Poland, Frank (4/10/17)
Poland, James Joseph (3/7/72)
Porritt, Eric Ainslie (24/9/58)
Power, John
Priestly, Arthur
* Rae, Thomas
Ratliff, Alfred
Robson, Allan Bailey (14/11/61)
Robson, David William (17/4/60)
Rolton, H
Ross, L
Rowe, E
Rowe, J
Royal, Huke
Royal, Rangi (8/7/65)
* Rule, F
* Runciman, J
Runciman, W
Rusden, L
* Salt, John James (12/9/18)
Samways, Philip
Shaw, Eugene Lewis (16/9/48)
* Shaw, Gerald Edwin (3/7/16)
Shaw, Harold Muir (6/2/70)
Shaw, W
Shellach, R
Short, Charles Cooper (16/8/47)
Silcock, James William (22/7/70)
Slader, E
Smith, Peter Muldoon (6/8/73)
Spry, Theo
Stonell, Richard
Sullivan, Arthur
* Sullivan, F
* Syme, Charles (20/10/17)
Syme, D
Taupaki, G
Taupaki, J
* Taylor, Victor John Huia (5/10/18)
Te Moananui, Mikaera
Thorp, Charles
Thorp, Alfred Fielden (1/10/81)
Torrens, R
Trevarthen, W
Vincent, David A (4/9/55)
Walmsley, Harry
Walmsley, Joseph Henry (3/10/83)
Walmsley, William
White Douglas
White, E
* Whitmore, Frank (28/9/16)
* Whitmore, John Ellis (28/9/16)
Wilkinson, G
Wilks, Francis James (1/8/35)
Yearbury, L