“Remembered” whispers the wind as it passes the Johnsonville South African War memorial. It stands here as a testament to a local blacksmith named Leonard Greenwood Retter. This Johnsonville-born man died in the Boer War in 1902. The Boer War marked the first time New Zealand soldiers fought in an overseas conflict.
The Johnsonville South African War memorial reminds us of New Zealand’s involvement. It also reminds us of the sacrifices made during the war. The Retter family was significant in Johnsonville’s early history. Fred, Leonard’s father, was also a blacksmith. The Retters had twelve children. Three sons volunteered for the South African Boer War.
Leonard served as a farrier in the Seventh Contingent. He died at Langverwacht Hill in the Orange Free State, South Africa. This occurred on 24 February 1902. He died in his brother Karl’s arms. They were part of a British column clearing Boer commandos from the area. Leonard was buried in the Garden of Remembrance, Vrede Public Cemetery.
In September 1902 a plaque was unveiled to commemorate Retter. Lord Ranfurly, the Governor of New Zealand, performed the ceremony. The plaque reads: Erected by his friends to the memory of the late Tr. L. C. Retter who fell at the battle of Bothasburg South Africa Feb.y 23rd 1902.
In 1903 or 1904, the plaque was attached to a memorial lamp post. It stood on Main Road, now Johnsonville Road. This was opposite where Woolworths is now located. The lamp used kerosene initially then gas and finally electricity.
The Returned Services Association maintained the Johnsonville South African War memorial. This mainly involved painting it for Anzac Day.
In 1953 a reversing truck knocked the Johnsonville South African War memorial over. It lay in the gutter for almost two months. When it was re-erected, the lamp was knocked off. Authorities planned to demolish it in the 1960s. An identical plaque was made and fitted to the gates at Johnsonville Memorial Park. The demolition never happened. In the 1980s, the Johnsonville Progressive Association repaired the memorial. Sometime after 1986, the memorial was moved to its current location on Moorefield Road.
The Johnsonville South African War memorial expresses pride in Trooper Retter. It also expresses sorrow at his death. It is one of two memorials in New Zealand commemorating those killed at Langverwacht. The other is in Amberley near Christchurch. It memorializes Farrier Sergeant O.H. Turner.
The Johnsonville South African War memorial has a Classical-inspired concrete base. A marble plaque is attached to the front. A metal pole made by E W Mills and Co. rises from the base. A glass-enclosed gas lamp sits at the top. The lamp was likely replaced in the 1980s.
E.W. Mills and Co was an iron foundry. It was located on Customhouse Quay. The company was founded in 1856. It was one of Wellington’s first foundries.
The Trooper Retter memorial is a good example of the lamp post memorial. This was a popular style of memorial at the time. The plaque and base are original. The lamp has been replaced. Its relocation affected its heritage integrity.
The Johnsonville South African War memorial stands as a reminder of local pride and commemoration. It gives insight into Johnsonville at the turn of the twentieth century. It commemorates Leonard Retter who died in the Boer War. Remember him. Remember them all.