Otahuhu railway workshops war memorial

World War I memorial plaque World War II memorial plaque Position of the sundail in relation to the Otahuhu war memorial

The Otahuhu Railway Workshops war memorial sundial, relocated in 1993 to the intersection of Great South Rd and Piki Thompson Way, Otahuhu, next to the Otahuhu war memorial.

On 29 October 1949 a unique war memorial was unveiled at the Otahuhu Railway Workshops. This consisted of a brass sundial mounted on a polished granite slab inset with two plaques bearing the names of New Zealand railwaymen who had died during the two world wars. In April 1977 the memorial was rededicated on a new site within the workshop grounds. After the closure of the railway workshops in 1992, it was placed in storage briefly, before being rededicated at Monument Corner, Great South Road, Otahuhu, on 11 September 1993.

Sources: 'Railway Workshop: War Memorial Unveiling and Dedication Service', South Auckland Courier, 4/11/1949, p. 10; 'Railwaymen Remember', Manukau Courier, 28/4/1977, p. 1; 'Honourable New Site Found', Manukau Courier, 1/6/1993, p. 1; 'New Spot for Sundial', Manukau Courier, 5/8/1993, p. 3; 'Rededication of sun dial plinth', Review, December 1993, p. 17; Sundial theft "malicious"', Papatoetoe & Otahuhu Week, 6/11/1996; 'Sundial Memorial Plinth, Memorial Reserve', Otahuhu Despatch, April 2008, p. 7; 'Heritage series: Otahuhu monuments', Otahuhu Despatch, February 2013, p. 4.

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Cire

Posted: 28 Oct 2011

As an ex Otahuhu Workshop employee I am pleased that the sundial was relocated although I don't recall where it was located with the workshops. I learned my trade under the tutorship of men who had served in WW2 and were about to retire. Awesome tradesmen.