Memorial to the Nineteenth Infantry Battalion and Armoured Regiment: Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force 1939-1945

Victoria Park, Christchurch, New Zealand Dorothy – 11/10/02

The soldiers of the Nineteenth Infantry Battalion and Armoured Regiment (South Island Branch) who fought in the Second World War are honoured in a beautiful living memorial in Christchurch in Victoria Park on the Cashmere Hills. The planting in the area is full of symbolism, and plaques give clear information about the history of the Battalion and Regiment and the significance of the area.

We visited the area with Harry Davis, a member of the Battalion who has had a long association with the South Island Branch of the Nineteenth Infantry and Armoured Regiment Association formed in 1946, with two terms as President and many years as Secretary-Treasurer.

One of the members of the association felt that the men of the Regiment and Battalion should be remembered in a living memorial. In 1949 the Christchurch City Council made available the area in Victoria Park for them to develop this concept.

Memorial stone Harry took us first up the stepping stones set in the grassy slope to the Italian black granite plaque set in a large rock of Hanmer marble which was erected in memory of the men in the unit who died and were buried in foreign soil.
The Hanmer marble represents their country, New Zealand, and the Italian granite their service overseas. The plaque and the planting on the site were dedicated on 7 June 1953 by the Nineteenth padre, John Somerville M. C.

Memorial
Memorial stone with plane table behind (Click here for a larger version) Photo source Peter Hunt


Memorial
The outlook from the plane table Photo source Harry Davis


Trees planted on the site To the passer-by the trees look richly green and pleasant, but it is important also to consider their significance. There are four plots of nineteen trees, as is appropriate, and each plot has a type of tree native to a country in which the men of the Nineteenth served.

Atlantic cedars come from the Atlas Mountains of North Africa, and Spanish Firs from Mediterranean coastal areas. Olives represent Greece, Crete and Italy, and black pines are native to Central and Southern Europe.

Olive Tree

The wild olive tree sprouts from its stump Photo source Peter Hunt

Trees to depict the sentinels of a tank laager After the dedication ceremony the Mayor of Christchurch, R.M. Macfarlane M.P. , planted a wild olive tree from Crete and an Association member, F. F. A. Harvey, planted a Lebanese cedar – to depict the sentinels of a tank laager.

Harry told us how the wild olive tree planted on the right near the top of the stepping stones had grown into a sizable tree and then had been damaged in a gale. It has shown the type of determination displayed by the men of the Nineteenth and has sprouted again from one edge of the large stump.

Honouring the Commanding Officer and Company or Squadron Commanders A golden cypress has been planted in honour of the Commanding Officer, and four fruiting chestnuts represent the Company or Squadron Commanders.

New Zealand natives to honour the men who returned Planting has continued, and four areas now feature New Zealand native trees, some donated by members. The choice of trees has resulted in richly varied shades of green and contrasted shapes.

Kowhai

New Zealand native trees with a kowhai in full flower Photo source Peter Hunt

A place to rest and ponder The Association’s next venture was dedicated in 1978 – the roadside forecourt which has a paved area and a stone seat, made of Halswell stone and a descriptive plaque. We seldom visit the area when there are not cars in the parking area and people sitting on the seat and resting and, we hope, pondering on what it all represents. When it was built those who rested in the area could view the distant vista, but now the trees on the slope below have grown, so much of the view is obscured. The view is different but it is still a place ideal for sitting and pondering.

Stone Seat
Harry and Dorothy sitting on the stone seat during the interview. Photo source Peter Hunt


The photograph of the inscription is in the photo supplement at the end of the article.

Informative Plane Table 1995 The Association has reason to be very proud of the Plane Table. Descriptive panels record the history of the Nineteenth and the significance of the planting of the Memorial Park planting. The panel on the left records the engagements of the Infantry Battalion, and the panel on the right records the engagements of the Armoured Regiment. The central panel maps the planting on the site. The stone structure was built from stone taken from the Halswell Quarry near Christchurch.

Photographs of the inscriptions on the left and right panels are in the photo supplement at the end of the article.

History of the Nineteenth Battalion A pamphlet about the Memorial relates the history of the Battalion:

“At Trentham on 3rd October 1939, volunteers from Wellington, Wellington-West Coast, Hawkes Bay and Taranaki Territorial Districts entered camp to form the 19th (Wellington) Battalion 4th Brigade N. Z. Division.

“Sailing for Egypt in January 1940 the unit served with British and Allied Forces in the Middle East and Central Mediterranean throughout the Second World War.

“The Battalion received its baptism of fire at Servia Pass in Greece where it beat off a force of veteran Austrian troops. Following heavy fighting in Greece and in Crete the 19th campaigned in North Africa and Syria. The final engagement as an infantry unit was in the desperate fighting to establish the line at El Alamein when the Division stood almost alone in the defence of Alexandria. On July 14/15 1942 at Ruweisat Ridge, the 19th suffered casualties of half its numbers when overrun by superior armour. 1940-1942 had been the dark years when the free nations of the world had to pay a heavy price for unpreparedness. Their citizen armed services had fought courageously, often in defeat, against an enemy superior in arms and air cover. But the flood tide of Axis tyranny was about to turn.

“The 19th, part of the 4th Brigade, was now withdrawn to base camp at Maadi in Egypt to reform on October 3rd as the 4th N.Z. Armoured Brigade. Later, reinforcements from New Zealand, mostly South Islanders and already trained to armour in New Zealand, brought the 19th N.Z. Armoured Regiment up to full strength.

“Crossing to Italy in October 1943, equipped with Sherman medium tanks, the 19th at Perano were the first N.Z. Armour to be committed to battle. The terrain, the mud and cold of two winters were to be in contrast with North Africa.

“The Regiment fought throughout the long and arduous Italian campaign, mainly in close support of the N.Z. Infantry.

“The German enemy were resolute and skilful in defence of the many natural obstacles, holding the barrier to Rome, the Gustav Line at Cassino for three months.

“On the 2nd May 1945 the 19th entered Trieste, occupying the town for 3 months after the close of the war in Europe.

“De-mobilisation was completed in N.Z. in 1946.”

Casualties Killed or died on active service 227 Wounded and Prisoners of War 921

Harry Davis’s war service Harry was in the Territorials before the war broke out and then served with the 5th Field Regiment Artillery in the Desert, in Greece and Crete. He was sent to India where he became a commissioned officer. General Freyberg determined that the New Zealand infantry must have their own armoured support. In 1943 Harry was sent back to New Zealand as a gunnery instructor in the 2nd Tank Battalion to train the men who would man Sherman tanks.
He returned to Egypt and joined the 19th Armoured Regiment. He fought with the Battalion in the campaigns in Italy continuing right through to Trieste.

Maintaining and improving the site Members of the Association have met regularly to maintain the site, and the hillside which was originally covered with scrub and strewn with rocks has been changed into a grassy slope with inset stepping stones to give easy access to the plaque and plane table. The stepping stones have had to be reset at intervals when they have become depressed in the soil.

The group has declining numbers but they continue to take part in monthly working bees. Even members who are infirm attend to keep in touch with the surviving men of the Battalion.

A photograph of the working party taken on 7 October 2002 can be found in the photo supplement at the end of the article.

Tree Planting
Harry Davis and Des Tomkies planting a tree Photo source Peter Hunt


They have replaced trees destroyed in storms or taken by thieves.

Daffodils were donated by members to beautify the site in spring, but many have been taken by thieves or destroyed by rabbits.

Vandals caused a more costly problem when they removed the plaques on the plane table. All had to be replaced.

Memorial to the crew of H.M.N.Z.S. Kiwi A surviving member of the H.M.N.Z.S. Kiwi Association approached the South Island Branch of the Nineteenth Infantry and Armoured Regiment Association requesting that the memorial to the crew of H.M.N.Z.S. Kiwi be installed in the Victoria Park Memorial site. It has been set in stone under a cedrus deodara tree on the left side of the area a short distance above the road.

It reads: H.M.N.Z.S. Kiwi Association 1941-45 The original crew planted this tree in remembrance of all who made the supreme sacrifice April 1985

Control handed over to the Christchurch City Council in 2000 After fifty years the South Island Association handed over its responsibilities to the Christchurch City Council (C.C.C.) Surviving members and descendants of the soldiers, representatives and supporters have formed the Guardians of the Memorial. They meet twice a year with the Christchurch City Council Park Rangers and give support in the maintenance of the Park Memorial.

Picnic table to mark the occasion To mark the occasion of handing over the responsibility for the Memorial to the C.C.C. members constructed a large picnic table sited high on the area with a wide view across the Canterbury Plains to the Southern Alps. It is built of macrocarpa from Orton Bradley Park.

Anzac Day services Each Anzac Day survivors and their families and friends meet at the Memorial after the Dawn Service in the city to honour fallen comrades. Members and friends line up and in pairs put poppies on the memorial.

In earlier years the average attendance was about thirty people, but more recently the numbers have swelled to 160.

It has been the custom to serve breakfast after a brief service. With the increased numbers the catering became a problem and the Association has been very grateful for the help of the army who have sent staff and food for the occasion.

The area of the Memorial is truly a place to rest and ponder – its peaceful and beautiful surroundings representing the peace and values for which the soldiers fought and died.

Before you visit the Memorial you may like to pick up one of the information pamphlets at the Victoria Park Visitors Centre. Hours for the Park and the Visitors Centre Summer 7.30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Winter 7.30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Photographs of two inscriptions on the plane table, the inscription on the stone seat and the working party on the site on 7 October 2002 are in the photo supplement and can all be enlarged for easy reading.