Mercer's unusual memorial

Published: Aug. 30, 2011, 5:01 a.m.

A memorial at Mercer remembers two wars - one far away and one close to home. The memorial to First World War soldiers is built on top of the gun turret of the Pioneer, a naval vessel used by British forces in their 1860s war against Waikato Māori. The Pioneer transported troops and shelled pā (Māori fortified settlements) on the Waikato River.