315 Memorial Rose Garden and Fountain, Ferrymead, Christchurch.
Reason for the name
This memorial rose garden and fountain was named in honour of the 21 men from the Addington Railway Workshops who lost their lives in World War 2.
This World War 2 memorial rose garden and fountain is part of the Ferrymead Heritage Park. It was originally situated at the old Addington Railway Workshops and was moved to the Park when the Workshops were demolished. It commemorates 21 men from the Workshops who went away during World War 2 and died on active service.
A small entrance fee to The Ferrymead Heritage Park is required. This allows everyone to visit all other exhibits and buildings in the Park. For example the heritage cottages, tram rides, model railway and hall of Flames. In the Park almost every building, exhibit and maintenance is carried out by volunteers.
Authors: Jude Turner, Angela Whitehead, Helen Russel, Sally Allison, Robyn Kilty, Keith Brown and Bruce Shalders
The stories of these men are a brief glimpse of the friendship, courage and sadness of men lost in time of war. Among the men, eleven joined the Royal NZ Air Force, nine served in the 2nd NZ Expeditionary Force (2NZEF) and one served in the Royal NZ Navy.
During the commemorations in the rose garden held in 2018 a member of the Heritage Roses Group spoke of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) which manages Commonwealth war graves world-wide. Within these cemeteries these men have found peace.
Research has determined that the 21 Railway workers left Christchurch in 1940, with their many mates waving and cheering, on their last train journey to the Port of Lyttleton. They died during the years 1940 – 1945.
They are buried in 10 different countries in CWGC cemeteries. These are Crete, Denmark, Egypt, England, Germany, Iraq, Italy, Libya, New Caledonia and Tunisia. The final resting places of these men are peaceful beautiful places softened by colourful plantings often reflecting the country from which the men came. Four men are buried in Christchurch and another is commemorated in the NZ Naval Memorial, Devonport Naval Base Auckland.
The Memorial Rose Garden and Fountain was originally planted in the Addington Workshops several years after the war ended in 1945. Prior to the demolition of the workshops in the 1990s the memorial was relocated to Ferrymead Heritage Park.
The service details of the men follows:
NZ401164 Harold Roger Blake
- Born 1917. Son of Harold and Mary Blake Papanui
- Flying Officer, RNZAF, 103, 150 Squadrons and 20 Operational Training Unit
- RAF Bomber Command. Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) 29 Jan 1942.
- Killed in Action (KIA) 31 May 1942. Aged 25
- Harold is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, England
61230 William Allen Cooke
- A crane driver. Son of William and Ethel Cooke of Wellington.
- Gunner NZ Artillery 5th Field Regiment. Artillery reinforcements 2NZEF.
- Died 1 December 1941, Western Desert North Africa.
- Buried Knightsbridge War Cemetery Acroma, Libya.
451522 Alan Charles Davies.
- A coppersmith’s apprentice. Son of Charles and Bridget Davies of Papanui.
- Private 21st Infantry (Inf) Battalion (Bn) NZ Inf Brigade (Bde) 2 NZEF.
- Died 15 December 1943, Italy Aged 21.
- Buried Sangro River War Cemetery, Italy.
32121 Neil Studley Galyer
- A carpenter. Son of William and Myrtle Galyer, St Martins Christchurch
- Sapper 19th Army Troops Company NZ Engineers 2 NZEF.
- KIA 23 May 1941 Crete, Aged 23.
- Buried at Suda Bay War Cemetery Crete.
- There is an olive tree planted close to the Auckland War Memorial Museum in the grounds of the Auckland Domain that commemorates those who fought on Crete in 1941.
NZ405266 John Wallace Henry.
- Son of Samuel and Annie Henry. Husband of Aileen of New Brighton Christchurch.
- Sergeant RNZAF. 9 Squadron RAF Bomber Command.
- Died in Denmark 24 September 1942, Aged 26.
- Buried Svino churchyard, Svino, Denmark.
445405 Arthur Higham.
- Son of Joseph and Ellen Higham, Burwood Christchurch.
- Pte 23rd Inf Bn. Infantry Reinforcements, 2 NZEF.
- Died 15 December 1944.
- Buried Faenza War Cemetery, Italy.
NZ405489 Albert John Victor Hunt
- Son of Albert and Rosa Hunt of Christchurch.
- Sergeant RNZAF 207 Squadron RAF Bomber Command
- KIA on air operations 24 October 1942, Aged 24
- Commemorated at Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, England
NZ405696 John Allan Horgan.
- Son of William and Ellen Horgan, Christchurch.
- Sergeant (Pilot) RNZAF, 93 Fighter Squadron RAF
- Died 14 April 1943, Tunisia North Africa. Aged 22.
- Buried Beja War Cemetery, Tunisia.
NZ405126 John Douglas Jacobs.
- No family details are known.
- Corporal 40 Squadron RNZAF.
- Killed in an aircraft accident 24 September 1945. Aged 26..
- Bourail Memorial. Bourail NZ War Cemetery, New Caledonia.
NZ404032 Frederick Aylward Jennings.
- Son of Edward and Alice Jennings, Sydenham, Christchurch.
- Flight Sergeant RNZAF No 9 and 226 Squadrons RAF Bomber Command. Frederick served in Europe, Far East and Pacific campaigns.
- Died Rongotai 28 February 1943. Aged 31.
- NZ Remembrance Court, Bromley Crematorium, Christchurch.
NZ40287 John Bernard Kennedy.
- Son of Patrick and Ethel Kennedy, Christchurch.
- Flight Sergeant RNZAF 455 Squadron RAAF.
- Killed on active service 13 February 1942. Aged 27.
- Buried at Newark-upon-Trent cemetery, Nottinghamshire, England.
20221 Frank Herbert G Lancaster.
- A machinist. Son of Herbert and Julia Lancaster, Christchurch.
- Bombardier HQ 28 Field Battery Second Echelon 2NZEF, later promoted to Sergeant.
- Died Western Desert North Africa 27 November 1941. Aged 27.
- Buried Halfaya Sollum Cemetery Egypt.
NZ412476 George Nelson.
- Son of James and Margaret Nelson, Christchurch.
- Sergeant Navigator RNZAF attached Royal Canadian Air Force and RAF. 115 Squadron Bomber Command RAF.
- KIA 2 October 1942. Aged 21.
- Buried Reichwald Forest War Cemetery, Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany.
NZ3135 Augustas Michael O’Malley.
- Son of Patrick and E O’Malley, Linwood, Christchurch.
- Stoker Class 2 RNZN. HMS Jupiter, “J” Class Destroyer.
- Ship lost at sea. KIA Java Sea, 27 February 1942. Aged 22.
- NZ Naval Memorial, Devonport Naval Base, Auckland.
285108 Brian Patrick Pope.
- A carpenter. Son of Patrick and Florence Pope, Christchurch.
- Private 23rd Inf Bn, Infantry Reinforcements 2NZEF.
- Died Italy 6 January 1944. Aged 23.
- Cassino Memorial, Italy.
NZ414346 John Reginald Rundle.
- Son of Mr and Mrs William Rundle, Reefton. Husband of Nellie, St Andrews, South Canterbury.
- Pilot Officer RNZAF. 214 Squadron, Bomber Command RAF.
- KIA 18 February 1943. Aged 24.
- Buried Brookwood Military Cemetery, Woking, Surrey, England
9129 Sydney James Smith.
- A painter. Son of Arthur and Louisa Smith, Christchurch.
- Private. Defence Platoon, 12 Light Aid Detachment, 6th Infantry Brigade, 1st Echelon, 2NZEF.
- Died 30 September 1944. Aged 35.
- Buried Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch.
NZ415380 Robert Arnold Southward.
- Son of Robert and Annie Southward, Christchurch.
- Flight Sergeant RNZAF 152 Fighter Squadron RAF.
- Killed on Active Service 24 December 1943. Aged 23.
- Buried Basra War Cemetery, Iraq.
81537 Geoffrey Edmund White.
- An electric welder. Son of David and Catherine White, Christchurch.
- Trooper Anti-Tank Brigade, 19th Armoured Regiment, 2NZEF.
- Died 18th November 1943. Aged 25.
- Buried Sangro River War Cemetery, Italy.
12648 John Joseph Williams.
- An electric welder. Son of Albert and Jane Williams, Riccarton, Christchurch.
- Private Royal NZ Army Medical Corps, 6th Field Ambulance, 2NZEF.
- Died of Sickness 18 October 1940. Aged 26.
- Canterbury Provincial Memorial, Ruru, Christchurch
NZ427358 Robert Bruce Wilson.
- Son of James and Alice Wilson, Greymouth. Married but wife’s name is not recorded.
- Flight Sergeant RNZAF. 1651 Heavy Conversion Unit RAF.
- KIA 4 March 1945. Aged 23.
- Cambridge City Cemetery, Cambridgeshire, England.
