This concrete gateway arch is located at the original entrance to Waipapa Marae, Ngutuwera. After this Ngutuwera Road site was badly flooded in July 2006, several buildings from the marae, including the wharepuni, Nga Paiaka, were re-located to higher ground on nearby Block 9 Road in 2008.
The memorial to Karena Tawhitopou (shown in the background) was also moved to the new site about 2012-13.
Inset marble plaque at front apex of arch
Memorial
Dedicated to the memory
Of Willie Karipa
Killed in action
Alamein Sept 4 1942
Inset marble plaque at rear apex of arch
He whaka mahara kia
Wiri Karipa
Hinga a he pakanga
Alamein Sept 4 1942
Inset marble plaque on left lower rear of arch
In memory of
Cpl G W Pokai killed
in action Italy 1-6-44
W Werata “ “
“ “ Alamein 26-10-44 [sic]
Hinga matou mote iwi
hei konei
Inset marble plaque on right rear of arch
Lest we Forget
2nd Lt John Sullivan
Tieketahi
2nd Maori Battalion
2nd NZEF
Who also served in
Great War 1914-1918
Kaore he Aroha i rite ki tenei
i tuku i tona tinana ki te Mate
[Note: CWGC Site: Cpl George Wiremu Pokau, 35542, 1-6-44, Cassino Cemetery: William Wereta, 65390, 26-10-1942, El Alamein Cemetery: Wiri Karipa, 62549, 4-9-42, El Alamein Cemetery]
Related items:
River Clean Up Saves Township (Taranaki Daily News 8 July 2006)
Letter find spurs visit to North Africa (Taranaki Daily News 17 August 2012)
Trip ends mystery for Patea's Topsy (Taranaki Daily News 2 November 2012)
Please do not reproduce these images without permission from Puke Ariki.
Contact us for more information or you can order images online here.
