- Above: National War Memorial
Photo by Andy Palmer, Ministry for Culture and Heritage
- Above: National War Memorial
Photo by Andy Palmer, Ministry for Culture and Heritage
- Above: National War Memorial featuring the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior
Photo by Andy Palmer, Ministry for Culture and Heritage
- Above: Fountain at the bottom of the steps
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
- Above: Photographic copy of Gummer and Ford's 1929 plan for the National War Memorial Carillon
Image courtesy of the Alexander Turnbull Library, EP-0129-1/2
- Above: Gummer and Ford's winning design for the National War Memorial, Art Gallery and Museum, 1929.
Image courtesy of the Alexander Turnbull Library, EP-3872-1/2-G
- Above: 1931 Foundation Stone
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
- Above: Prime Minister George Forbes laying the foundation stone in 1931 with future PM Peter Fraser in the background
Image courtesy of the Alexander Turnbull Library, EP-3352-1/2-G
- Above: The carillon under construction, looking west over Mt Cook in 1931.
Image courtesy of the Alexander Turnbull Library, PICT-000020
- Above: The carillon under construction in 1931
Image courtesy of the Alexander Turnbull Library, PICT-000020
- Above: Huge crowds gather for the 1932 Dedication Ceremony
Image courtesy of the Alexander Turnbull Library, 1/1-020314-G
- Above: The dedication of the National War Memorial in 1932
Image courtesy of the Alexander Turnbull Library, 1/1-018026-G
- Above: The Carillon before the addition of the Hall of Memories
Image courtesy of the Alexander Turnbull Library, PAColl-5932-21
- Above: Plate produced for the 1940 Centennial celebrations
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
- Above: Dishes produced for the 1940s Centennial celebrations
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
- Above: National War Memorial's Carillon featured on a 1945 stamp
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
- Above: Pennant featuring the National War Memorial
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
- Above: Embroidery featuring the National War Memorial
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
- Above: Tea towel probably from the mid-1960s features the National War Memorial
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
- Above: The Hall of Memories under construction
Image courtesy of the Alexander Turnbull Library, EP/1961/0964/10-F
- Above: The Hall of Memories under construction
Image courtesy of the Alexander Turnbull Library, 1/2-C-021781-F
- Above: The National War Memorial covered in scaffolding in 2013
Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Almost every New Zealand town has its own war memorial. The National War Memorial commemorates all New Zealanders who gave their lives in military and peace-keeping operations.
The history of the National War Memorial dates back to November 1919. Following the end of World War One, the New Zealand Government with ‘not a single voice of dissent’ approved the erection of a National War Memorial. It was to be built in a position where it would ‘be visible from any part of the city and from ships entering the harbour’.
Discussion about the location and the form it would take ensured with Wellington jeweller P.N. Denton suggesting that a Carillon with bells of remembrance be built alongside the Memorial. By 1924, the Government had approved a subsidy towards the construction of a National Art Gallery and a National Museum but not the Memorial.
A Wellington War Memorial Carillon Society quickly raised 9,600 pounds enabling the purchase of a Carillon with 49 bells. These were later offered to the Government for inclusion in the National War Memorial. At the same time, the Government announced the hill behind the Mt Cook Barracks to be the site for the National War Memorial, National Art Gallery and National Museum.
A design competition for these buildings took place in 1929 and was won by Gummer and Ford, an Auckland architectural and engineering firm. Christchurch builders P. Graham and Sons commenced work in 1931 and had built the base of the campanile by the time Prime Minister G. W. Forbes laid the foundation stone on 15 May 1931.
The dedication ceremony took place on Anzac Day, 25 April 1932. The National War Memorial was consecrated by the Bishop of Wellington, the Rt Rev Dr T. H. Sprott and was opened by the Governor-General Lord Bledisloe in front of a crowd of over 50,000 spectators. The Governor-General accepted the National War Memorial on behalf of the people of New Zealand. The Carillon bells rang out for the first time and the Lamp of Remembrance on the top of the tower was lit.
The National Art Gallery and Dominion Museum were later opened in August 1936.
The National War Memorial is actually two buildings from two different eras. The art-deco Carillon tower was opened in 1932 and the Hall of Memories was completed in 1964. Interestingly it was the same architects, Gummer and Ford and the same builder, P. Graham and Sons who completed the project over a thirty-year period.
Further references
For whom the bell tolls / Chris Maclean
National War Memorial / W. A. Glue
National War Memorial and the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior / Tim Shoebridge
The Sorrow and the pride / Chris Maclean and Jock Phillips.
