Anzac archway acknowledged a century on

Former Thames Central School pupils, Rotarians, volunteers, and RSA members gathered under a clear sky the day before Anzac Day to acknowledge the fallen.
Thames Museum Te Whare Taonga o te Kauaeranga unveiled a new storyboard to sit by the historic arch at its entrance – which was officially declared a WWI memorial 100 years ago.
Retelling the arch’s history, the museum’s management committee chairperson Carolyn McKenzie told the crowd that the structure was initially erected to beautify what was once Thames Central School, as well as to be a safety measure against passing traffic.
“The school, formerly Waiokaraka School, stood where the retirement village is now, and Martha St extended across and ran alongside it,” she said. “In 1923, this part of Martha St was closed off and incorporated into the school grounds. A wall and this archway were built to protect the school children from passing traffic; you can still see the gate hinges. The decision was then made to include a plaque in the arch’s keystone position, to commemorate the school’s fallen.”
Although the school’s Roll of Honour board has been lost, the museum society has so far found the names of 44 former Central School pupils who died during WWI.
The names have been included on the new storyboard – the funds for which were donated by the Thames Rotary Club.
“All around the country, memorials were constructed to the fallen, and to those who had
served and returned. Hardly any New Zealand city, town, settlement, or district didn’t construct
some sort of public memorial, and many more were added in places such as halls, schools, churches and cemeteries,” Carolyn said.
“Here, an enormous crowd gathered 100 years ago, on Anzac Day 1924, when the [archway] memorial was officially dedicated.”
Thames Rotary president Jaquie Mitchell said the club was “only too happy” to support the commemoration of the “formidable” archway.
“Thames Museum has put so much work into the storyboard and Rotary was pleased to be able to provide the funds to put it together,” she said. “Congratulations to the museum for doing such great work researching this.”