Tomb of the Unknown Warrior
To serve as a focus of remembrance for the sacrifice made by all New Zealand servicemen and women, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage led the project to repatriate the remains of an unknown warrior for burial in a new tomb at the National War Memorial in Wellington.
The ceremonial programme in November 2004 was probably the largest commemorative programme ever undertaken in New Zealand.
The Unknown Warrior is one of almost 30,000 New Zealanders who perished while serving their country in war, and one of almost 9,000 who have no known grave. A casualty of the First World War, his remains were exhumed from the Caterpillar Valley Cemetery on the Somme in France, a site chosen by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
On 10 November 2004, the New Zealand Defence Force brought the Unknown Warrior home. During a welcoming ceremony at Parliament the Unknown Warrior was honoured with the campaign medals of the two World Wars, the Operational Service Medal, and the Royal New Zealand Returned & Services Association's highest award, the Badge in Gold.
An estimated 10,000 people queued to pay their respects to the Unknown Warrior during the lying-in-state vigil, which continued through the night at Parliament.
On 11 November, after a Memorial Service at the Cathedral of St Paul, the Unknown Warrior was accorded a full military funeral procession through Wellington to the final interment ceremony at the National War Memorial. It is estimated that 100,000 people lined the route as the procession passed to a specially composed slow-time march entitled Fernleaf Headstones.
The interment ceremony included a eulogy by the Governor-General, a reading by Vincent O'Sullivan of his poem,'Homecoming - TeHokinga Mai', and a haunting choral lament of Timothy Hurd's 'Memento for an Unknown Warrior' performed by The Tudor Consort.
The Unknown Warrior was then accorded his final farewells and laid to rest in his new tomb.
The Tomb Design
The tomb was designed by sculptor Kingsley Baird. The design is inspired by the stars of Southern Cross guiding the Warrior home. Black granite and white crosses depict the night sky and the warrior's companions who fell in battle. Across the top of the granite surround is the text of a karanga (see below), in Maori and English, calling the warrior home. A cloak of bronze, decorated with pounamu (greenstone) crosses depicting the national flag, rests as a celestial and protective mantle over the tomb.
The Tomb of the Unknown Warrior is accessible at all times.
Te mamae nei a te pōuri nui
The great pain we feel
Tēnei ra e te tau
Is for you who were our future
Aue hoki mai ra ki te kainga tūturu
Come back return home,
E tatari atu nei ki a kou tou
We have waited for you
Ngā tau roa
Through the long years
I ngaro atu ai te aroha
You were away. Sorrow
E ngau kino nei I ahau aue taukuri e
Aches within me
Images on this page are copyright to Ministry for Culture and Heritage and New Zealand Defence Force.