Lancaster Memorial, Te Atatū

The Lancaster Memorial in Gunner Drive, Te Atatū, commemorates New Zealand airmen killed in action during the Second World War. The inscription on the memorial reads:

The original Lancaster Memorial was commissioned in memory of the 13 airmen from New Zealand, Canada and England killed when two Lancaster bombers were shot down flying over Weiswampach in Luxembourg en route to Germany during WWII on August 12 and 13, 1944.
Among the six New Zealanders who died were RNZAF 75 Squadron Flying Officer Whelan HAZARD and Flight Sergeant John WRIGHT, both of Te Atatu.
This memorial stands in remembrance of all those who have died defending freedom and liberty in far away places.
This replica of the memorial in Weiswampach has been reproduced with the permission of the designer Pol Holweck and Weiswampach mayor Mr Henri Rinnen

The surrounding park contains the remnants of anti-aircraft gun emplacements. During the Second World War, a construction programme for anti-aircraft batteries to combat enemy aeroplanes commenced around New Zealand. By the time the Te Atatū gun emplacements were about to be completed, the Japanese were in retreat and the guns were never installed.