Mokau War Memorial Mine (WW II)

This German mine washed ashore at Mokau Heads on 2 December 1942 and is now mounted on a concrete base in Mokau township (SHW3)

The mine was probably laid by the German Navy ships Penguin and Passet off south Australia in October/November 1940.

It has been mounted up-side-down.

Three mines are known to have washed ashore on Taranaki beaches during the war - at Bell Block on 28 November 1942, Mokau on 2 December 1942 and Belt Road, 15 February 1943.

Plaque on concrete base:

LET THIS GERMAN MINE FOUND
DECEMBER 2ND 1942 REMIND US
IN THE DAYS OF PEACE. WITHOUT
VISION THE PEOPLE PERISH

Plaque donated by
MOKAU PROGRESSIVE ASSOCIATION

Additional Information:

Mokau School 80th Jubilee,1975, p12

Great Guns -The Artillery Heritage of NZ, Cooke, Peter & Ian Maxwell (2013)