Have you ever visited the Peace Gardens in Lawrence before? I felt I had stumbled into it by accident (even though I was looking for the war memorial), as it is tucked out of the way, compared to other small towns.
The garden is opposite the public library and has swings, benches, bins and a great tree to gather conkers (horse chestnut seeds). It is a lovely place to come and sit and have lunch and whilst the gardens are lovely the proximity to the main road means they are not as peaceful as some of the other picnic spots around.
Find the monument (at GZ) erected by the people of Lawrence and the surrounding district in grateful remembrance.
The cache can be found at S45 5A.BCD E169 4W.XYZ
Where;
A = How many men were lost from Waitahuna West?
B = Number of names under World War 2 (below Waitahuna West, just this side).
C = number of white columns divided by 2.
D = Number of names under Boer War minus 2.
W = Number of names under Tuapeka Flat minus number of names under Evens Flat.
X = How many words are missing at the end of this quote "All honour give to those who, nobly...."
Y = Number of locations (not wars) listed on all sides minus 2. (Hint: Blue Spur was a location at the time of the war but doesn't exist on the maps anymore.)
Z =The number of names under Lawrence, who do NOT have the rank Private (Hint; not all are in rank order)
Checksum A+B+C+D+W+X+Y+Z = 40
The cache is a short distance away (less than 5min walk from lower garden gate there is a footpath to the hide location). If driving to the cache, please note you are better to pull off into the safe parking area across the road then walk back - please do not stop and park on the footpath.
Remember to bring your own pen/pencil to sign the log, as the one in the container can go missing. Photo logs will not be accepted.
The red poppy has become a symbol of war remembrance the world over. People in many countries wear the poppy to remember those who died in war or are serving in the armed forces. In many countries, the poppy is worn on Armistice Day (11 November), but in New Zealand it is most commonly seen on Anzac Day, 25 April – as it marks the anniversary of the landing of New Zealand and Australian troops, popularly known as Anzacs (the acronym for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps), on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey in 1915. While the campaign ended in military defeat, it is widely claimed that the Gallipoli experience helped foster a sense of nationhood in both New Zealand and Australia.
A half-day holiday for 25 April was gazetted to allow everyone to attend the remembrance. A typical commemoration begins with a pre-dawn march, a short service follows, with a prayer, hymns and a dedication that concludes with the fourth verse of Laurence Binyon's ‘For the fallen’:
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
The last post is then played as the sky starts to light up with the first rays of the sun, followed by a minute's silence and the reveille. The service concludes with a prayer and the singing of the national anthem.
Wish to attend New Zealand’s next large multi-day event? GCA7ZHD Geo Toroa will be held on NZ’s Labour Day long weekend 26-27th October 2024 right here in Dunedin. Details in the link below;
