Remembering those who fought in WWI

 Two Baradene College History students who were involved in the Shared Histories Project, Rewa Kendall and Louise Piggin, where honoured to attend the closing ceremony formally closing an exhibition of ‘quatrefoil’ crosses marking WWI and meet Corporal Willie Apiata, New Zealand’s only living recipient of a Victoria Cross.

Many of you may have seen the four-leafed golden solid brass cutouts by artist Max Gimblett that hung on St David’s Church, on Kyber Pass in central Auckland from ANZAC Day until the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Chunuk Bair. This church was built after the First World War as a church for veterans. St David’s was built as the Soldiers’ Memorial Church “to keep green the faith and courage and sacrifice” of those who gave their lives in WWI. Crafted out of Oamaru Stone and red Kamo Brick to the designs of Daniel Patterson and later Horace Massey, for nearly a century St David’s has served city and country, affectionately referred to as the Cathedral of the Presbyterian Church. The Church is in need of earthquake strengthening and the installation was a fundraiser to raise money for this.

 At the ceremony, Corporal Willie Apiata, presents Mark Bramwell, grandson of the late Lieutenant Colonel Cyril Bassett, New Zealand’s only First World War ‘Gallipoli VC’, and first VC recipient of WWI, with a Max Gimblett Remembrance quatrefoil cross artwork.  Cyril Bassett was a Sapper, and St David’s is home to the Sappers’ Memorial Chapel.  Bassett was also married at St David’s Church.

The students were able to spend the afternoon with Corporal Willie Apiata, hear speakers from the Great War Exhibition Museum in Wellington and hear Caitlin Papuni-McLellan, a student from Opotiki, give the speech that won her a trip to Gallipoli in 2015. The two Baradene College students were able to talk to Corporal Willie Apiata and tell him about the Shared Histories Project research they did with French students from Lycée Professionnel Jean Macé, in Chauny, France, on contentious objectors and soldiers who refused to fight and mutinied.