This concrete gateway arch is located at the original entrance to Waipapa Marae in 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
[Commonwealth War Graves 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)
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