Creative juices are doing overtime

I have so many ideas maybe a book, TV series!!! one must aim high!
I have photographed and began researching 5 memorials and all in two weeks. I have decided that for each memorial I research I will endeavour to record every persons full name, rank, profession before enlistment, date of embarkation, date of death, where and age. This I feel we give the names inscribed a more personal touch. I will also start a tally on my blog of each memorial visited.

The project begins...

Once back in Auckland I began to search the names on the War memorials I had taken photos of using the very good Auckland Cenotaph search which has details of almost every soldier, seaman etc who has served for New Zealand in a theatre of war. The searching was fascinating and sobering all these young men dying miles from their home in New Zealand and most at such a young age.  Of those who I have search so far lastly an average of a year before dying, some had been injured more than once before being killed in action. Attached to most of the cenotaph records is a photo of the soldier smiling and full of life.

I need to decide how I want to collate the information and what to record. I really want to look at each memorial from a personal/human way not just look at the bricks and mortars of the memorial.

Rotorua War Memorial

 

Have I started? YES

When I had the idea (which had been simmering for awhile) I was on holiday at Lake Rotorua. So before I left I took off to Rotorua town and photographed the War Memorial and especially the names on it. The memorial stood in the lovely gardens infront of the Rotorua Museum building. On our way home to Auckland I made my family stop and Matamata and Maramarua where once again I took photos of their war memorials. I am not the greatest of photographers but that is not the point I want to take a moment in time to remember those men and women who gave their lives.

Who am ?

I am an avid family history researcher who has always been interested in Military History. From a young age I spent hours with my grandfather a veteran of World war 2 in the British Legion Club in Isleworth listening to the old soldiers. I even went with him and his fellow Dunkirk Veterans to Dunkirk for their yearly pilgrimage. It was a moving experience. I married a Kiwi in 1990 and here I am. With the advent of the 100 year anniversary of WW1 I want to record 100 NZ Memorials and look at the men on those memorials. Obviously not all of them, but at least some and definately record all their names dates of death and other details to remind us all of their sacrifice.