By Webfit News
Stratford residents are being invited to gather at the Malone Memorial Gates on Saturday, 8 August 2026, for a wreath-laying ceremony commemorating 111 years since the Battle of Chunuk Bair.
The ceremony will begin at 8am and will honour the service and sacrifice of Lieutenant-Colonel William George Malone and the Wellington Infantry Battalion during one of the most significant New Zealand actions of the Gallipoli campaign.
Following the ceremony, light refreshments will be served in the Centennial Rest Rooms, where the birthday of the 5th/7th Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, will also be recognised.
The event is open to community members of all ages.
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A Memorial With Deep Local Meaning
The Malone Memorial Gates are an important part of Stratford’s history.
They were officially opened on 8 August 1923, exactly eight years after Malone was killed at Chunuk Bair.
The gates remain the largest war memorial in New Zealand dedicated to an individual soldier.
A historic photograph held in the Stratford Heritage Collection shows the original opening ceremony, with the arch covered in flags, a guard of honour standing with fixed bayonets and several hundred people gathered in front of the memorial.
That image reflects the importance Malone’s story has held in Stratford for more than a century.
What Happened at Chunuk Bair
Before dawn on 8 August 1915, Malone led the Wellington Infantry Battalion up the Sari Bair range during the Gallipoli campaign.
The battalion captured the high point at Chunuk Bair and held it through repeated counter-attacks.
The position was strategically important, but the fighting was devastating.
By the time the Wellington troops were relieved that night, only 70 of the battalion’s 760 men were still standing.
Malone was among those killed.
Ottoman forces later recaptured the position from British reinforcements.
The battle became one of the defining moments of New Zealand’s military history and remains closely connected with Stratford because of Malone’s leadership and local ties.
Mayor Says the Story Still Feels Personal
Stratford District Mayor Neil Volzke said the annual commemoration has never felt like a distant history lesson for the district.
“Most towns remember Gallipoli. We remember a man who walked these streets, and a family who stayed here after he didn’t come home,” Mayor Volzke said.
“That’s why people keep turning up at the gates, 103 years after they opened.”
His comments underline why the event remains meaningful to the local community.
For Stratford, Malone is not remembered only as a military figure. He is remembered as someone who belonged to the town and whose family remained part of the district after his death.
Military Connection Continues
The event will also acknowledge the birthday of the 5th/7th Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment.
The West Coast company of 5/7 RNZIR traces part of its lineage to the 11th Taranaki Rifles Regiment, which Malone commanded before the First World War.
Mayor Volzke said it was fitting to recognise the battalion’s birthday immediately after the wreath-laying ceremony.
“The eighth of August matters to the 5/7 RNZIR too, so it’s fitting we mark their birthday straight afterwards. Everyone is welcome to stay for light refreshments.”
The military connection gives the ceremony both a historical and present-day significance.
It links the service of soldiers from more than a century ago with those serving in the New Zealand Army today.
Malone’s Lasting Legacy
Malone’s influence extends beyond his command at Chunuk Bair.
He is also credited with introducing the New Zealand Army’s distinctive “Lemon Squeezer” hat.
The shape of the crown was designed to resemble Taranaki Maunga and to help rain run off the brim.
Malone was 56 when he died at Chunuk Bair, making him considerably older than many soldiers serving in the field.
His age, leadership and determination have remained central to the way his story is remembered.
Event Details
Event: Chunuk Bair wreath-laying ceremony
Date: Saturday, 8 August 2026
Time: From 8am
Location: Malone Memorial Gates, Stratford
Following the ceremony: Light refreshments at the Centennial Rest Rooms
Also being recognised: Birthday of the 5th/7th Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment
All members of the community are welcome to attend.
More Than a Century of Remembrance
The commemoration is expected to once again bring together residents, military representatives and local leaders to remember one of Stratford’s most important historical figures.
More than 100 years after the Malone Memorial Gates were opened, the district continues to return to the site each August.
That continued attendance shows the story remains part of Stratford’s identity.
The event is not only about remembering a battle. It is about remembering the people behind it, the families who carried the loss and the local community that has continued to honour them.
Source: Stratford District Council media release, 4 August 2026.
