War Memorial, Cave.

Driving South after Anzac weekend I was touched to see the many small crosses set up near war memorials in our provincial townships. They present such a focal point for our communities to gather at, show our respects for and to remember the names of the many people in our districts who went to fight in wars in distant lands.

South Canterbury is no different from anywhere else in New Zealand in that we have our share of war memorials to commemorate the men and women lost to our communities. By the end of 1918 over 1000 South Cantabrians had been killed. In the following years many others would die as a result of their wounds. Each death sent out deep waves of grief and loss throughout the community.

On the roadside above the township of Cave sits a war memorial, a large basalt rock with a poetic inscription on the front that reads…'So long as the rocks endure and grass grows and water runs will this stone bear witness that through this low pass in the hills, men from the Cave, Cannington and Moutakaika Districts rode and walked on their way to the Great European War 1914-1918.’

This memorial was commissioned by Thomas Burnett MP, owner of Mount Cook Station from 1903 to 1941. It was erected on the site following World War 1. He personally drafted the inscription and his notes still exist along with other memoriabilia relating to the Memorial. Another inscription was later added after the losses in the 2nd World War.

As well as this war memorial Thomas Burnett and the Burnett Valley farms also commissioned the building of Cave’s beautiful St David’s Pioneer Memorial Church in 1930 along with several others to commemorate the achievements of the European settlers and pioneers of the region.

Returning veterans of the war formed the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association (RSA) three days after the first Anzac Day in 1916 to focus on the needs of former soldiers. Locally the South Canterbury RSA was founded in May 1916 and by 1919 RSAs had also been formed at Temuka, Waimate and Geraldine.

How lucky we are to be able to celebrate another peaceful Anzac weekend in our corner of the world.

Lest we forget.

Karen Rolleston