At a public meeting on 31st July 1920 the Mayor asked for a decision on the form of a memorial. In the same year a number of war memorial designs were received from Mr Hurst Seager and these were displayed in a public exhibition. Unfortunately we have not been able to find any further records on these designs.

In July and August 1921 the Whangarei District War Memorial Committee had already collected £1277 of the £2000 which had been set as the required amount for a memorial. On 25th August the Committee invited 'designs forthwith for a suitable memorial'. It is not certain who
actually created the final sculpture but it is most likely that it was imported from Italy

It was decided to erect the cenotaph in Triangle Park, opposite the railway station (which was then much closer to the town centre than its present location)

This figure was one of 13 erected as a war memorial throughout New Zealand (8 in the South Island). The wreath held in the left hand implies the image of honour to the war dead. This figure was mounted on a granite plinth with the names of those honoured engraved into the stone, and erected by Whangarei monumental mason Mr M. L. Staples.

The first ANZAC Day service held at the new memorial was on April 23rd 1923. Photographs of the day show a large gathering.

Text by Desmond Ford