This monument was erected in Te Hēnui Cemetery, New Plymouth around 1866 by members of the 57th Regiment before they left New Zealand in early 1867. "Prior to leaving New Zealand, the Regiment erected at New Plymouth a Monument to the memory of Officers and men who had been killed in action with the Maories, or who had died of disease during its term of service in that country." (Warre, Historical Records of the 57th Foot, 1878, p16)
Two "musical entertainments" were held in February 1864 by the regimental band at the Masonic Hotel "for the benefit of the Funds for the erection of a Monument to the memory of the Officers and Soldiers of the 57th Regt [Tragett, Hope etc] brutally murdered by natives on the 4th of May 1863." (Taranaki Herald 6 & 13 February 1864).
In 1938 a proposal to move the monument within the cemetery was made to the Borough Council by the RSA. An objection was made by A.S. Black who reported that the original monument was to those killed at Wairau only. He related that it had initially been erected near Charles Armitage Brown's grave on Marsland Hill in central New Plymouth and that the memorial had subsequently been moved to Te Hēnui. It would appear that this move - if made - took place before the late 1860s as a visitor described the monument at Te Hēnui in January 1869. Also Arden's watercolour of the memorial in Henui is dated 1868. Photographs of the area around 1875-76 (PHO2009-017) also show both the 57th and White Cliffs monuments together.
Front (north) face inscription:
On Base: Lower left difficult to see but a transcription made by New Plymouth Genealogical Society in 1981, confirmed 2006.
SANDERS / EUSTON RD. / LONDON NW
South face inscription:
THIS MONUMENT HAS BEEN ERECTED / BY THEIR COMRADES / OF THE 57TH REGIMENT
THE 57TH REGIMENT LANDED / IN NEW ZEALAND FROM INDIA ON THE / 25TH JANUARY 1861
Right (west) side inscription:
KILLED IN ACTION / CAPTAIN / T. W. J. LLOYD, 6 APRIL 1864 AT AHU AHU TARANAKI
PRIVATE / E. MARTIN 4 JUNE 1863 AT KATIKARA RIVER, TARANAKI
M. KENNEDY 11 MARCH 1864 NEAR KAITAKE, TARANAKI
J. DOOLEY 6 APRIL 1864 --- AT AHU AHU, TARANAKI
G. SADLER 6 APRIL 1864 ---- DO [ditto] DO [ditto] DIED OF WOUNDS
PRIVATE / G. BROWN, 22 FEBy 1861 / J. OSBORNE 5 JUNE 1863 / H. SHIPMAN 5 JUNE 1863
T. FINN 3 OCTR 1863 / H. CAIN 3 OCTR 1863 / M. MCCARTHY 1 APRIL 1866
CAPTN AND BT LIEUT COL. J. HASSARD 15 JANY 1866
Lower right inscription:
Four lines of lettering difficult to read unless seen in raking light. This original text is repeated (an addition after 1981?) on the lower left but with small changes e.g. Nixon's initials and date.
KILLED IN ACTION
SERGEANT F. DAY, 19 [13?] JAN 1866 AT THE OTAPAWA PAH
" J. SULLIVAN... DO [ditto] DO [ditto]
PRIVATES H. MCGREGOR, M. MORAN, J. MANNING, R. DOAKE, G. KING,
PRIVATE J. NIXON, 15TH MARCH 1865 AT KAKARAMEA.
Left (east) side inscription:
DIED / SURGEON W. A. MACANDREW 24 SEPTEMBER 1861 / ENSIGN A. B. DUNCAN 4 JUNE 1864
CR SERGEANT SERGEANT SERGEANT
R. MEREDITH (DROWNED) W. ASHWORTH T. TRAYNOR
CORPORAL DRUMMER DRUMMER
J. MCLOUGHLAN J. MCCHRISTAL R. ROBERTSON
Left lower side inscription:
PRIVATE PRIVATE PRIVATE
A. GILLESPIE P. SCULLY J. ANDERSON
C. HORRIGAN G. MAY J. ROLLINGS
P. DOOLAN J. CLEARY H. MILES
J. MAGUIRE R. WALTON R. KEEFE (DROWNED)
T. FARRELL H. EAST J. BAILEY
H. CASEY R. MUSKILL E. DUNNETT
G. WILLIS M. CONNOR W. GOSLING
E. GILLETT J. JONES M. MULCAHEY
J. JONES J. WALSH (DROWNED) M. FLEMING
T PALMER J. DENAHEY J. GASCOIGNE
J. BLAND (DROWNED) J. DRISCOLL T. WHITE
R. CONNELL T. FAIN R. SIMMS
LIEUT J. T. DOWN, V.C. 27TH APRIL 1866
This text appears to be a later addition to replace that on the opposite (western) side.
KILLED IN ACTION
SERGEANT F. DAY, 19 JAN 1866 AT THE OTAPAWA PAH
DO J. SULLIVAN, DO DO
PRIVATES H. MCGREGOR, M. MORAN, J. MANNING, R. DOAKE,
G. KING, H. NIXON, 13 MARCH 1865 AT KAKARAMEA.
Front (north) face inscription:
LVII
ALBUHERA
(In inverted laurel wreath)
IN MEMORY OF
THE
OFFICERS, NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
AND MEN
57TH REGIMENT
WHO HAVE BEEN KILLED IN NEW ZEALAND
MURDERED AT WAIRAU
ON 4TH MAY 1863
LIEUTENANT T. H. TRAGETT
ASSISTANT SURGEON W. A. HOPE
COLOR SERGEANT S. ELLERS
SERGEANT S. HILL PRIVATE W. BANKS
PRIVATE J. FLYNN E. KELLY
B. MCCARTHY P. RYAN
Patrick Ryan is listed as M Ryan in Bezar 1891 p 65. He was buried by Māori but recovered on 2 June and reburied at Oākura, Taranaki Herald 6 June 1863.
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