Grave restoration gathers support
A solution for restoring decaying military graves around the country has been developed at a small cemetery in Porirua.
At first it seemed no-one but the local Titahi Bay RSA was interested in helping former army major Simon Strombom and his friend Melanie Macdonald voluntarily restore the graves of about 85 servicemen and women scattered among camellia trees at the small, hilly Porirua Cemetery north of Wellington.
But after their efforts to restore the graves ahead of public tours to mark the 100-year anniversary of the end of World War One – Armistice Day on November 11 – hit headlines last month, they received numerous offers of support. They have also been invited to present at a national RSA conference and to create a guide for others to use around the country. Macdonald, who has spent hundreds of hours scrubbing bronze and scraping moss, said it was ‘‘probably safe to say the team is very excited how this has grown into something that can really help other RSAs and communities across New Zealand’’. The small team’s Givealittle page raised enough funds to pay for all the required bronze plaques; the Gee and Hickton Funeral Home donated all of the lead lettering work; and they were given a grant for permanent poppies for the graves.
‘‘RSA [National] has definitely taken it upon themselves to spread the word. We have already featured in their regular communications to RSAs across New Zealand and we have been invited to talk at their upcoming national conference. Simon [Strombom] and I have also been asked to complete a demonstration video on how to clean bronze plaques and marble headstones.’’
Strombom, who has a Distinguished Service Decoration for work in Afghanistan in 2008, started off the work earlier this year and previously explained that: ‘‘I’ve been to the cemeteries in El Alamein and Beersheba and a lot of them are beautifully maintained and I was just shocked at the state of the war graves here. It’s about recognising the history of Porirua.’’
RSA National spokesman Shane Wratt said the organisation was keen to carry the work forward and encourage volunteer teams within RSAs around the country to get involved.
‘‘We will certainly be helping encourage action and helping to equip people with the tools and information they need.’’