Radio New Zealand reports that there are growing calls for oak trees which were planted in memory of First World War soldiers to be replanted and protected in time for the Centenary.
Some 400 oak trees were planted in 1919 in memory of the approxamitely 400 soldiers and one nurse from North Otago who died on the battlefields of Europe during the First World War.
The Secretary of the North Otago Memorial Oaks Committee said that “roadworks, traffic, drought, pests in the early days [and] indifference from the public in the early days”, alongside road expansion and other factors had caused the decline in oak trees – with about 220 of the 400 remaining.
As the Centenary of the First World War approaches in 2014, and the Anzac Centenary begins in 2015, Mr. Douglas said: “we are trying to ensure that coming up to 2015 that these soldiers’ memorials are kept in good order”.
Date of news report: 11/07/2013
Images courtesy of the New Zealand History Online website
Source: Radio New Zealand website
Posted by: Daniel Barry, Centenary News