LEST WE FORGET
War Memorial Church
ANZAC
The church saw a large number of the young men of the parish off to war, many of whom were killed. In March 1920, a War Memorial Fund was set up, initially to establish a Roll of Honour for those killed, and to fund memorial tiles which were to be laid in the sanctuary.
An unidentified group photo thought to be taken outside the St Alban's church hall just after the Boer War
The foundation stone of the
War Memorial Tower reads:
To the Greater Glory of God
Remembering the Dead
Let the Living be Humble
1914-1918
This stone was laid by
Alfred Walter Bishop of Auckland
October 29 1922
After further discussion, the Vestry felt that a more externally visible memorial would be preferable and decided on a War Memorial Tower as a fitting reminder of sacrifice.
This was completed on April 24, 1924 and dedicated on October 14 of that year.
After the deaths of Henry and Edwin Clark in WWI, the Clark family commissioned the Altar, Reredos and all the sanctuary furnishings for St Alban’s from a large Oak on their farm in memory of their boys.
The Font was gifted to Saint Alban's by the Bailey Family in commemoration of their sons.
The inscription reads :
"Sargent Henry Irwin Bailey
February 28 1917 aged 25 years
Lieut: Allan Richard Bailey
June 15 1917 aged 25 years
Killed in action in France
they gave their lives for
King + Country + Honour"
“With the end of the war, many new memorials appeared in the recently completed church: the credence table and bishop’s chair in the sanctuary and other items such as the processional cross, the litany desk, and clergy stalls in the chancel” – excerpt from St Alban’s, Balmoral, Auckland 1886-1986 Ed. Deirdre Parr.
War memorial in the church
There are other memorials around the walls and on our pew ends
this one remembers those who gave their lives in the second world war.
ANZAC poppies in the church