(photograph © Kiwidutch)
Following on from yesterday’s post we are still in the small New Zealand town of Paeroa, famous as the place where the Kiwi iconic drink ”Lemon and Paeroa ” originated.
As we travel though town I suddenly see a war memorial and luckily there’s a car park close by so I can get some photos out of the passenger window (yes it’s still raining like someone pulled the plug out of a heavenly bath) .
I have a fondness for small town war memorials, and this one is certainly very different to most I have seen… The first difference that I can see is that in this spot at least there is a flag pole but no obvious name board honouring the local fighting men and women, but there is a plaque dedicated to all who fell in the service of their country.
The second unusual aspect is the inclusion of actual military equipment, one each side of the flagpole. The smaller of the two is at a guess, an anti-aircraft machine gun and the second is either a gun or small cannon (which is about as technical as I can possibly get on the subject of military equipment).
The third unusual aspect is the inclusion of a background mural… I’ve never seen a mural at a war memorial before and it’s even more unusual because not only does it depict people who served their country but astonishingly, seemingly also actual battles as well.
It’s certainly not a a shy and retiring war memorial that people could absently walk by, it catches your eye and hold your attention. I dare say that if it hadn’t been raining bathtubs, Little Mr. would have been more than delighted to take a closer look at the weaponry on offer (we don’t have play guns in our home but he’s still a typical boy who likes to pretend to be an action hero).
Ok, so this isn’t your “conventional” war memorial, but you know, I love the effort that’s been put in here… clearly it commands attention and respect and if it can stop a random passer-by like me in their tracks (yeah, I know I’m probably a bit weirder in that I’m vastly more prone than most for noticing quirky things) but the point is, you really see this… right in the main street it gets your attention, turns your head and makes you think.
But for people who served and paid the ultimate sacrifice … they deserve no less.
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
