By Chris Gardner
They gave their lives in the world wars, now Te Kūiti High School will remember them.
Te Kuiti High School received a pictorial roll of honour from Te Kūiti and District Memorial Returned and Services Association (RSA) president Barry Batley last month.
The display has been carefully researched and complied by RSA vice president Ross O’Halloran, a Lance Corporal and section commander in the Hauraki Company of 3/6 Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment.
The roll of honour includes the names of 27 former Te Kūiti High School pupils who fell in World Wars I and II.
O’Halloran has found photographs of seventeen of them, used photographs of four headstones and four branch of service badges. For two, O’Halloran has found no service records at all.
“Hopefully people may come forward with photographs of those I haven’t been able to find photographs, and we can update them as we go along,” he said. “I’ve set it up so this can be done.”
O’Halloran is currently researching the Auckland Infantry Regiment from World War I and is hoping to complete similar projects for RSAs from Kawhia to Taumarunui.
So, why bother?
“Good question,” said “O’Halloran. “I never charge for it, and it can take quite a bit of time.”
His late father, Jim, was a Gunner in 42 (Te Kuiti) Battery, 4 Medium Regiment during the Compulsory Military Training scheme of 1949-1958.
“Dad never missed an ANZAC Day parade, leading Te Kūiti Pipe Band as drum major and he had known a number of Boer War, World War I and World War II veterans so due to that I grew up knowing many local veterans,” O’Halloran said.
“My kids have not, neither will future generations, so it is one way to remember them and their sacrifices. They are not just names on a cenotaph, they were a human being and had loved ones.”
O’Halloran, who has also been active in the RSA Poppy Appeal for years, made a similar roll of honour for Te Kuiti Primary School last year.
“He’s done a very good job, and it’s something for the young ones to look at,” Batley said. “It’s great to involve as many local people as possible, the older ones who have done so much over the years are thinning out.”
