World War 1 Centenary Resources

The March over the Rimutakas

At the conclusion of their infantry training at Featherston camp troops would march over the Rimutaka Ranges back to Trentham, where they had a final brief spell of instruction before final  leave and embarkation. This “march over the hill” had a practical purpose, in that it not only provided troops with one last strenuous workout but it also served as a convenient way of shifting them back to Trentham without going to the expense of rail transport. As well as this, though, the march proved an effective publicity exercise, attracting photographers and newspaper reporters, along with plenty of local residents to follow and farewell the men.

The three day march began early in the morning in Featherston where, in full uniform and kit and accompanied by locals, the men began the climb up Rimutaka Road. At that time this was just a single-lane gravel track, but it followed pretty much the same route as SH2 does today. Once at the summit the troops would stop for a meal break. Food and hot tea was provided by women from the Wairarapa Patriotic Association, who had a shed with tanks and a boiler specially built here for this purpose. After their meal the troops would head down the range to Kaitoke where they would bivouac for the night (ie, sleep out in the open without erecting tents). The next morning they would march down Main Road, stopping for lunch at Maidstone Park, before marching over the hill to the Mangaroa Valley. Here they would undertake night manoeuvres,  again spending a night in the open, before staging a mock attack on Maymorn camp at dawn. After this they would proceed on to Trentham, arriving sometime around noon.

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