Nine more Palmerston North streets added to Poppy Places project

On Armistice Day, nine local streets named after distinguished members of the 28th Māori Battalion will be commemorated, by being added to the Poppy Place project. Poppy Places is a national street recognition project that identifies New Zealand places with links to our military involvement in a conflict or operational service overseas.

The new streets to be commemorated are: Anaru Place, Dittmer Drive, Henare Street, Huata Place, Katene Street, Pitama Road, Ruha Street, Te Punga Place and Wikiriwhi Crescent. They have all recently been embellished with the iconic red poppy increasing the number of Poppy Places in Palmerston North to 15.

“To identify these street names, that many people may not know relate to brave and valiant men who volunteered, served and fought in WWII with the 28th Maori Battalion, is also a way to honour all of that Battalion,” says Mayor Grant Smith. “They left Palmerston North in 1940, after their training to serve for our country, and today we still honour them. They were fearless men. Their battalion received more individual bravery decorations than any other New Zealand battalion.”

The street names were established in 1964, when the Awatapu subdivision was developed. At that time, Brigadier George Dittmer was contacted to give his thoughts on the naming of streets after 28th Maori Battalion soldiers and provided a comprehensive list of soldiers who had served under him.

Terry McBeth, Chairman of the New Zealand Poppy Places Trust said the Trust was pleased the City Council had originally named these streets in honour of members of the 28th (Maori) Battalion. “Palmerston North is to be congratulated as a significant contributor to the project which now involves many local authorities from Auckland to Invercargill and from New Plymouth to Napier,” said Mr McBeth. “Registering these places on the trust's national database, recording the personalised stories about their original naming, and marking the street signs with the poppy will ensure future generations will understand more of their local history”.

Manawatu Heritage, Palmerston North’s library archives website is unveiling on Friday, the full stories of these men, their families, photos, honours and deeds, which was collated by the library’s heritage team member Evan Greensides.

Last year, World War I related streets; Anzac Park, Carroll, Chaytor, Freyberg, Marne, Martin and Russell Streets were recognised. Streets named after Palmerston North’s Victoria Cross recipients will be added to the project within the next 12 months.

A short ceremony is being held at 12 noon in the Palmerston North Convention Centre after the Armistice Day ceremony in the Square to acknowledge these nine streets of significance.

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