Cook Island soldiers who served in the great War 1914 - 1918

Anzac Parade Saturday 25 April 2015, Manurewa Southmall...Me and my husband woke at 5.00am and decided, this is the day we're going to make the effort to attend the Anzac Parade. This is truly an awesome experience and quite moving the support from Manurewa community was amazing, just over seven thousand people attended the parade.
This part of the blog is dedicated to the Cook Island soldiers who were killed and wounded in action First World War 1914 - 1918.

http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/media/photo/cook-islands-roll-honour-boards Cook Islands Cook Islands Armistice Day notice, 1924 From the early 1920s, commemoration of the First World War in the Cook Islands was linked to Armistice Day, 11 November. Messages each year from the Cook Islands Department in Wellington to the Resident Commissioner, Rarotonga, stated: ‘HM the King has expressed wish for two minutes silence November 11, Armistice Day.’

In 1923 the message was extended: ‘His Majesty has expressed a wish that throughout the Empire special services should be held and two minutes silence observed at 11am, 11 November.’ From this date services were held in Rarotonga and the other islands in the Cook group were instructed to observe the two minutes’ silence. Resident Commissioner H.F. Ayson arranged for services to be held in all churches on Rarotonga. In Rarotonga two branches of the Returned Soldiers’ Association were formed, one for returned Cook Islanders and one for returned New Zealand expatriates, many of whom were working for the Administration. The Resident Commissioner invited the two associations to hold a combined church parade and later the Minister for the Cook Islands, Māui Pōmare, wrote to both RSAs in Rarotonga thanking them for combining for the service and urging them to work in harmony with their fellow soldiers.
By 1925 schoolchildren were being included in the commemoration. On 11 November 1925, special services were held in all the churches and at Avarua School the pupils saluted the flag. Short speeches were given by the Resident Commissioner, Makeanui Tinirau Ariki, George Karika DCM and Mr Binsted (the headmaster).

In 1926 the war memorial in Avarua was unveiled by the Governor-General, Sir Charles Fergusson. That year the Armistice Day ceremonies were extended to include a parade of returned servicemen from the London Missionary Society (LMS) church in Avarua to the Soldiers’ Memorial, where a short service was held and wreaths were laid. All branches of the Administration and all shops closed for the day. The war memorial now provided a focus for commemoration services in Rarotonga.

In 1927 possibly the first Anzac Day service was held there, with returned servicemen placing wreaths at the monument and also on soldiers’ graves. Armistice Day continued to be marked in the normal way and it is not certain when 25 April became the more important of the two dates for the Cook Islands community.

Armistice Day, and later Anzac Day, was marked in the outer islands of the Cook group by two minutes’ silence. Resident Commissioner Ayson was keen to have honour boards prepared for each island so the names of those who served would be in view and there would be a focal point for commemoration services. In 1926 a committee of returned soldiers, including George Karika DCM and Pori Ngoroio Makea, was set up to check names and ensure spellings were correct before details were sent to New Zealand for the Public Works Department to make the boards. Honour boards were prepared for Aitutaki, Mangaia, Atiu, Mauke, Penrhyn, Manihiki, Rakahanga and Pukapuka. In March 1929 Ayson reported to Wellington that all had reached their destination and suitable unveiling ceremonies were being arranged, presumably on Anzac Day that year.
On Mangaia the RSA decided to build a war memorial with funds raised for the celebration of George V’s Silver Jubilee in 1935. Plans were drawn up, lists of names prepared, a site chosen and financial details settled. The Mangaia Soldiers’ Memorial was completed in time for Anzac Day 1936.

Acknowledgement to New Zealand History.net.nz, for the information and pictures. This information will be shared to all the Cook Island people, who takes the time to view this blog...especially to all the Mangaia people,who we have little knowledge of our fellow mens, great great grandfathers, great grandfathers who went to War World I.
http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/media/photo/cook-islands-roll-honour-boards
Aere ra, Aere ra e ngatupuna kia moe kotou...Te noo nei matou e maaraara uatu nei ia kotou.

Men who served in the Great War 1914 - 1918, Mangaia Island, Oneroa.  Roll of Honour.