Rugby Remembers: Katikati Honours War Dead and Club History
A special 'Rugby Remembers – Lest We Forget' event held at Katikati War Memorial Hall brought together speakers to mark 150 years since Ulster Irish settlers arrived in the town. The evening wove together three strands: remembering local residents who gave their lives in conflict, the history of rugby in Katikati, and acknowledging All Blacks who went to war — most notably Katikati's own Dave Gallaher.
Katikati RSA president Trevor Gilbert spoke about each serviceman who died in the Boer and World Wars, noting that 60 Katikati residents served in WWI and 120 in WWII. He paid particular tribute to Dave Gallaher, who had seen active service in South Africa in 1901 — reportedly lying about his age to enlist — before rising to the rank of sergeant. Gallaher was fatally wounded at Gravenstafel Spur on 14 October 1917 and is buried at Nine Elms cemetery in Poperinge, Belgium, which has become a place of pilgrimage for Kiwi tourists and All Black teams. Gilbert noted that Dave's two brothers, Douglas and Henry, were also killed in action, in 1916 and 1918 respectively.
Katikati Rugby Club stalwart Rollo Dunlop traced the club's 145-year history, recalling that the first game was played in July 1880 against Tauranga County Football Club on Hunter Reserve. Players came from local marae and as far as Te Puna, and the visiting Tauranga side had to bring their own goalposts. Dunlop acknowledged nine club notables whose likenesses feature in murals facing Moore Park.
Te Puke businessman and former All Black Graeme Crossman capped the evening by gifting Dunlop his emerald green jersey from the 1974 All Blacks tour of Ireland, Wales and England — a tour on which New Zealand beat Ireland 15–6. Crossman said the tour, played during the Irish Rugby Football Union's centenary celebrations, was a wonderful experience, and he particularly enjoyed visiting communities such as Cork, describing the Irish as warm and friendly people. Ponsonby Rugby Club volunteer historian Paul Neazor also spoke about Gallaher's enduring influence on the Ponsonby club, while documentary producer Jude Dobson presented her 2024 film All Blacks at War, which tells the stories of 52 former All Blacks who served in WWI, 13 of whom never came home.
Originally published in Katikati News (Sun Media).