Mount Cook article 1840's-1960's precedes this page

In 1970 the last remains of the barracks of the 65th Regiment of Foot were demolished. Some timbers from it however were salvaged.

The Seventies saw military presence on Mount Cook decrease dramatically.
     The RNZAEC Directorate moved into an area formerly occupied by accounts offices and it's former area was renovated for the Garrison Club and Cafeteria while the clubs old rooms were converted for use as the Home Command's conference room. When the conference room shifted across to Fort Dorset the RNZAEC Directorate shifted to the area vacated by the conference room. And in 1971 the Garrison club shifted across Buckle Street.

March 1979 saw two things happen.
     Firstly The Home Command shut down on the 23rd of March with many of it's staff posted to the new HQ New Zealand Land Forced (located at Takapuna in Auckland). This new HQ combined the functions of the former Field Force Command (Auckland) and HQ Home Command (Wellington).
     Secondly over the 24th/25th of that month Territorial Soldiers of the 6th Field Squadron (Royal New Zealand Engineers) opened up the sealed EPS/Army tunnels under Mount Cook and surveyed them. They discovered that neither the Army or the City Council had accurate maps of them. They then resealed the tunnels.
     The Drill Hall on the north corner of Buckle Street and Taranaki Street no longer stands - It was still standing November 1982 but not when I started at Wellington High School in 1989. That location is now occupied by Owens Hire.

     Mid 1996 saw the two Defence Dept houses at No.'s 213 and 215 Taranaki St were sold off. These houses were removed between the 18th August and 2nd September 2001. The Prefab buildings behind them (at No. 217 Taranaki St) were also removed about the same time. This cleared the site for the construction of accommodation for University students with - construction well underway by the beginning of December - hang on a minute a brick outhouse remained after the houses and prefab buildings were removed. However that too disappeared sometime between September and December 2001.

     Military presence on Mount Cook now consists of a area on the Corner of Buckle Street and Taranaki Street. The Royal New Zealand Naval Reserve - HMNZS Olphert is also located there. What the Army currently has there I am unsure.

     Will this small part of what they once occupied be relinquished too. Only time will tell.

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Tomb of the Unknown Warrior

     On Thursday the 11th of November 2004 the remains of an unknown soldier were interred with full military honours in the newly built Tomb of the Unknown Warrior. He along with many others from towns big and small were trained in places such as Trentham before embarking on ships heading to Europe to fight against the Germans during World War One. He was one of many soldiers buried in war cemeteries in France. His remains were exhumed and flown back to New Zealand, Lying in state at Parliament over night before a service at St Pauls Cathedral in Molesworth Street and then in a procession through the city, the casket rode upon a gun carriage. This procession ended in Buckle Street where the casket was taken up to the National War memorial for final internment in the Tomb of the Unknown Warrion.

     This Tomb of the Unknown Warrior has been built in the forecourt of the National War Memorial in Buckle Street, Wellington. The Tomb is set into the ground and straddles the top edge of the stairs. The base of the tomb is of black granite with light grey Takaka marble crosses. The Tomb is capped with a bronze mantle with four crosses of pounamu signifying the Southern Cross. Standing at the doors to the National War Memorial itself and looking to the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior, it looks a bit like a fresh grave while with the view from the stairs the black granite base is a dominant feature.

     This is the second design. The original design would have entailed the removal of the fountain at the foot of the stairs and the tomb going there with a pyramid above it. Due to an outcry over the prospect of loosing the fountain, the tomb was redesigned. In my view the final design is better and more symbolic than the original design.

     Unfortunately I missed the service, but I was able to visit the Tomb in the evening just as the official ceremonies were finished and was able to take some photos.