War Memorial Town Hall (14-16 Massey Avenue)

After the First World War, some residents of Pukekohe supported building a memorial hospital or swimming pool, but eventually the more conventional option of a memorial gate was chosen. Their memorial was unveiled by Prime Minister William F Massey on 6 November 1921.

The memorial stood on a plot of land donated by William Roulston (now Roulston War Memorial Park) to the eastern side of the railway line and included three stone pillars. The central pillar supported an inscribed marble panel with a bas-relief carving of a soldier holding a flag at half-mast; the other two with panels listing the names of the fallen.

Meanwhile, the War Memorial Town Hall was opened on 4 October 1958 by Governor-General Viscount Cobham in honour of those who served and gave their lives during the Second World War. Before its erection, the site had served a military purpose during World War II, although its exact role is unclear. The hall was built in a monumental style and features a lobby, sizeable auditorium, and a concert hall. The rear also houses the RSA clubrooms as well as the local Plunket rooms.

In 1980, the central memorial column of the World War I memorial was relocated to near the entrance of the War Memorial Hall. This allowed Pukekohe’s Anzac Day ceremonies to be held at one place. On 11 October 1992, a memorial stone was unveiled at the hall to commemorate 50 years since the arrival of Americans to local military camps.

Curiously, the War Memorial Hall has no Roll of Honour. Instead, this is located at the Memorial Chaplet at the Pukekohe RSA Cemetery on Wellington Street. The RSA rooms behind the hall display a rather special ‘C&C Roll of Honour’, giving the names of all employees of the local firm Cooper & Curd Motors who served during the Second World War.

Walk to the intersection of Massey Avenue and Edinburgh Street. Look across Massey Avenue.