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Cenotaph soldier’s story

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NOW THAT'S WHAT YOU CALL A WREATH: A “ginormous” floral wreath is the result of Gisborne Boys’ High School students working with charitable trust Hear4U to mark Anzac Day and support men’s mental health. Year 12 student Luk Stoltz was one of several who worked on the floral wreath. “I know people, including family members and friends, who have been affected by mental health, so I’m glad that we could come together to be part of something that shows that we can talk about mental health.” Hear4U co-founder Krissy Mackintosh says as well as acknowledging Anzac commemorations, it was about teaching the boys to get out of their comfort zones and express themselves. “A big part of Hear4U has evolved from floral art and when people donate to Hear4U, I like to put a massive proportion of that money into community initiatives — to engage with people at a grassroots level and get the message out there. This was another cool initiative . . . and the boys have been fun to work with.” Displaying the wreath are, back row (from left): Max Phillips, Noah Mason, Ned Clarke, Jacob Schofield, Luk Stoltz and Nikau Rudge. Front: Puna Hihi, Phelix Moore, Ky Bartlett, Eugene Paul and Krissy Mackintosh. Picture by Paul Rickard

REMEMBERING THE FALLEN: A large crowd gathered at the Cenotaph for the Anzac Day dawn service on Tuesday. Among those who laid wreaths were (from left) Ian Hunter, Jack Donnelly, Inspector Darren Paki, Royal New Zealand Navy ship Manawanui Commander Yvonne Gray and Mayor Rehette Stoltz. Picture by Paul Rickard

FIRE IN THE HOLE: A cannon, right, is fired from across the river as part of the traditional Anzac Day dawn service commemorations at the Cenotaph on Tuesday. Picture by Paul Rickard

IMMORTALISED IN MARBLE: The soldier figure on top of Gisborne’s Cenotaph is based on World War 1 veteran Captain Leslie Stichbury. Soldier pic from Herald files

CAPTAIN STICHBURY: Captain Leslie Stichbury organised and commanded the Anzac Day parade in 1920 and from 1925 to 1940. Picture supplied

More information about Gisborne’s Cenotaph has come in as its 100th birthday was marked at the Anzac Day service on Tuesday.

June Stichbury says her father-in-law, Captain Leslie Stichbury, is the serviceman that the soldier on top of the  marble statue memorial was based on.

The veteran served in World War 1 but also organised and commanded the Anzac Day parade in 1920, and continued to do so from 1925 to 1940.

Mr Stichbury died in 1976 at the age of 81.

Mayor Rehette Stoltz, in her Anzac Day dawn service speech and a Gisborne Herald article, said the memorial was designed by local architect and war veteran Edward Armstrong, and was unveiled by Colonel Charles Melvill on Anzac Day, 1923.

Colonel Melvill was a one-time commander of the New Zealand Division in the later stages of World War 1.

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