Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Restoration Guide
Proudly Supported by
National GravesProject
Table of Contents Introduction 3Getting started
Council cemeteries 56
7
Service cemeteries
Commonwealth war graves
Enlisting business support 8
Getting your team together 9
Notifying the community and relatives 12
Identifying and restoring graves 14
15General cleaning for all grave types16Granite graves including cenotaphs17Re-painting graves video
18Marble graves19Bronze plaques21Bronze restoration video 22Tools and materials
Keeping track and recording evidence 23Media and tours 25 More help and information 26Acknowledgements 27
4
Introduction
The inspiration for this project started when a Porirua historianshared a story of a deceased local war veteran via his websiteAn ex-Army Major and member of the Titahi Bay RSA decidedto visit the grave site Noticing how poorly maintained the sitewas he returned with a bucket and scrubbing brush and startedcleaning He soon realised the cemetery included many morereturned services graves and the vast majority of them werepoorly maintained Enlisting the help of another pair of handsthey got busy and uncovered many more stories and restoredwell over 80 service graves
Through trial and error this small team learned how to clean awide range of headstones plaques and memorials They alsolearned more about their local military history and were able toshare this with others in the community through public re-dedication services cemetery tours and social media updates
The National GravesProject aims to seevolunteers transformingcemetery sites all overNew Zealand We hopethis practical guide willinspire you and others toget stuck in
Page 3
01Firstly identify if the cemeteries military graves fall under the care of
Private property (managed by your local council) orMinistry of Veterans Affairs orMinistry of Culture and Heritage
The following pages will help you determine who is responsible for what and will make it easier todetermine if funding is available to assist with any restoration efforts
GETTING STARTED
Page 4
Cemeteries owned and managed by thelocal council often have rules as to whatthey will and will not do to maintain thecemetery Most commonly graves inthese cemeteries are private plots andconsidered the responsibility of thefamily to maintain This can present achallenge when seeking permission fromfamily members to restore the grave Councils do not keep records of familycontact details and due to privacycannot release the information even ifthey do hold records
Council Cemeteries
Page 5
Veterans Affairs (VA) look after Service Cemeteries and Memorials They fund over 100 service plotsin cemeteries which are intended to be maintained by councils VA They offer contributions towardsmemorial plaques and headstones (if they are broken damaged or incorrect) They do howeverrequire the military grave in question to be for a veteran with qualifying service They will provide the following
the memorialits installation andupdates of the plaque for spouses or partners also interred
When theyre buried in a public or private cemetery they can contribute up to $1000 Plaques andheadstones are standardised in both inscription and design for reasons of equality and uniformityPersonal inscriptions cant be added to memorials in Service Cemeteries Often the maintenance and establishment of Service Cemeteries are shared between VeteransAffairs local councils RSAs and other interested Veteran groups Whilst they do fund somemaintenance and improvements much of this work is done by volunteers Contact Veterans Affairs 0800 483-8372
Service Cemeteries
Page 6
Ministry of Culture and Heritage (MCH) are responsible for maintaining and managing new memorialprojects including
War and historic gravesNational monumentsNational Memorial ParkResearchAdministration of legislation and grantsWriting and publication of New Zealand history and reference works
MCH look after monuments and Commonwealth War Graves There are 3400 of these in New ZealandThese are casualties from WW1 and WW2 who died after the conflicts These soldiers died before1923 and 1946 respectively Outside of this war graves are considered the responsibility of councilsand families Contact MCH (04) 499-4229
Commonwealth War Graves
Page 7
02 ENLISTING BUSINESSSUPPORT
Because individual clean up projects are centered on aparticular location it is quite often possible to get localbusinesses to support your project either in the form ofdonated supplies services money or volunteering Local RSA
Funeral Directors
Corporate Volunteers
Local Hardware Store
Who might be able tohelp
Page 8
Your Local RSAHopefully your local RSA will be keen to support you and your project You may be able to use themas an umbrella organisation to your project which can make it easier to receive funding too Oftenmembers of the RSA are wanting to get involved and as such can be used as part of a volunteerteam to assist with the restoration work Funeral DirectorsLocal funeral directors can be very supportive of the restoration efforts and can often provideexcellent discounted services They can be particularly helpful if the cemetery you are restoring hasheadstones with lead lettering as these need to be professionally restored They can also providestone poppies or replacement plaques
Corporate VolunteersMany corporate organisations provide their staff with paid volunteer days (eg Z Energy) considerapproaching organisations such as these in order to promote your project and gain additionalvolunteer support for restoration efforts Local Hardware StoreThere are a few cleaning supplies which are needed Approaching your local hardware store with astory of what you are doing might help you obtain some of these supplies at a discounted rate oreven for free
Page 9
04 GETTING YOURTEAM TOGETHER
You do not need tons of people and can realisticallyget away with just a couple of keen individuals whoare passionate All too often these projects arenever started because a committee have overcomplicated it If itrsquos only two or three of you at thisstage then just get on with it Others will come onboard once you get started
Simon Strombom amp Melanie Macdonald of the Titahi Bay RSA
Page 10
Itrsquos a good idea to enlist the help of a localhistorian who is willing to take the time toinvestigate the individuals you come across The stories that emerge will give you and yourfollowers inspiration and motivation during thisjourney Undoubtedly they will help you uncoverhidden gems of local history and guide youthroughout your project The stories will give depth to your project and willcapture the attention of local and possibly evennational media
Engaging an historian with yourproject
Allan Dodson - Porirua War Storieswwwporiruawarstoriescom
Page 11
05 NOTIFYING THECOMMUNITY AND RELATIVES
Arrange a meeting with council and see ifthey have any interest in supporting yourproject Some councils will ignore you whileothers may come to the party and getinvolved If the plan is pitched as a part of theRSA National Graves Project you might besurprised You are at least letting them knowwhat you are up to When media get onboard its likely your local mayor orCouncillors will jump at the chance to supportthe good work you are doing
Meet with local council staff
Porirua Mayor Mike Tana and City Councillors
Page 12
Finding relatives can be a challenge Often extended family have long since moved out of the districtYou do have a responsibility to at least try and let people know you are going to work on cleaning upsome graves At best you will get some support At worst no-one responds in which case wesuggest you do it anyway
Finding relatives
Social media can be a useful tool to use whentrying to track down family members Oftenposting on local RSA pages or localcommunity groups can assist in getting theword out when seeking family members
Local newspapers may publish stories andarticles about your project which can help younotify the public and find family members orrelatives
Social media Local media
Page 13
06 IDENTIFYING amp RESTORINGGRAVES
There are a range of different types of graves that require various cleaning or restoration methods
Granite Military Grave with GranitePlaque for Wife
Bronze Plaque and ConcreteMilitary Grave
Granite Memorial Cenotaph Parents Marble Grave with Lead Letteringand Granite Plaque for Serving Child
Page 14
Spray with Bio-Shield Its a good idea to do one visit where you just identify thegraves spray them and make a plan for what graves you will focus on first
General cleaning for all grave types
Step 1
Scrub using a bucket of water and a stiff bristled brush Step 2
Page 15
After spraying and cleaning Using awhite water based enamel paint anda 2mm paint brush paint over theexisting lettering and leave for10 mins to dry
Granite graves includingcenotaphs
Step 1
Using a light razor blade scraperremove the excess dry paint
Step 2
Using cuttlefish bone from pet shopclean up detail around the letteringand emblem
Step 3
Page 16
Painting Graves Video
httpswwwyoutubecomwatchv=VkQP6Kr2-SY
Page 17
Marble graves may need several spray andscrub sessions using Bio-Shield It is normal forthe marble to turn pink or brown as the lichendies Eventually the Marble will go white Its worth trying to get a stone mason to also bea sponsor for your project Their services will berequired to repair any lead lettering that isbroken
Marble Graves
Page 18
Clean the bronze plaque byscrubbing it with water and amedium textured scrubbing brush
Bronze Plaques
Step 1
Make a paste from white vinegar (1cup) and table salt (⅛ of a cup) anduse flour to bind the ingredients andcreate the paste It should bethe consistency of slightly runnypeanut butter
Step 2
Apply the paste to the bronze plaquewith a paintbrush and leave for 2-3hours You will notice that the pasteturns green as it extracts the patinaAvoid letting the paste becomecompletely dry as it is difficult toremove when this happens
Step 3
Remove the paste using papertowels and scrub clean Washwith water and a medium texturedscrubbing brush
Step 4
Step 5 Repeat steps 2-4 three or four timesuntil the bronze is restored back toits original bronze colour
Page 19
After cleaning the bronze sand withP220 wet and dry sandpaper Step 6
Once the bronze lettering andborders have been sanded paint inthe surface of the bronze usinga jet black leather dye (found in mostshoe repair shops)
Step 7
Spray bronze with a clear lacquerfinish spray that is suitable forcopper bronze and similar alloys
Step 10
When spray has dried repeat step10 a couple more times to provide agood protective layer
Step 11
Step 12 Wax the bronze plaque using a softbrush to apply the wax and a softcloth to polish it Recommendedyou use a polish wax that containscarnauba wax
When dye has dried repeat step 7until the desired colour has beenreached It should take 2-3 coats forthis to occur
Step 8
Sand the bronze lettering once moreto ensure it retains its bronze shineand remove any dye that may havecovered the lettering or borders
Step 9
Page 20
Bronze Restoration Video
httpsyoutube1cz8HkTxvgo
Page 21
Tools and Materials
Carnauba wax 220 grit sandpaper Leather dye Lacquer Bucket soft cloth paper towelsscrubbing brush
Razor blade Various paint brushes Cuttlefish bone Enamel paint
Page 22
07 KEEPING TRACK ANDRECORDING EVIDENCE
Keeping track of what you have done helps you easily share your progress and evidence withothers and protects you if anybody is concerned about any damage made to a headstone
Smaller Cemeteries If you are only working with a small cemetery and 5-6 graves then we recommend recording thecemetery and number of graves completed as well as taking simple before and after photos (If you aresocially savvy these can be posted on the NZ Remembrance Army Facebook page)
Page 23
Larger Cemeteries
If you are working with a town or city cemetery with more than 15 service graves you will need to bemore methodical and planned in your process These sites are likely to take multiple days and keepingtrack of progress is important We recommend obtaining a site map from the council and setting up aspreadsheet register and recording your plan and progress as you go Your register should include fields such as plot number name service number rank served where general notes cleaned YN photo YN type(bronze granite etc)
Archway - NZ Archives Portal (wwwarchwayarchivesgovtnz) is a great place to find servicedetails of WW1 Veterans
Page 24
08 MEDIA amp TOURS
Letting the local media know about your project can be useful for spreading the message further to reachfamily or relatives Media exposure can also help you engage other volunteers dignitaries and corporatesupport
We recommend getting started with the cleaning first and when you have some good photos and a fewstories contact your local newspaper and tell them what you are doing The National Graves Project falls under the activities of the NZ Remembrance Army which is a newlyestablished group with a focus on protecting NZs Military Heritage The NZ Remembrance Army issupported by the RSA and other veteran organisations Local ToursIf you do engage a local historian researcher running a local tour on a significant day like Anzac orArmistice day can really help engage your community in your project
Page 25
09 MORE HELP ANDINFORMATION
This project has been sponsored by Bio-Shield who providethe highest quality product which has delivered outstandingresults for volunteers cleaning concrete and headstones To apply for your free Bio-Shield please complete theonline form here
Contact RNZRSAenquiriesrsaorgnz04 384 7994
wwwrsaorgnzapplication-bio-shield
We recommend you follow and share the NZ RemembranceArmy facebook page and let others know about your plansand progress This will help inspire others and help ensuregroups in the same district can work together Page 26
10 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This guide was developed by the RNZRSA with the help of a few key people who saw an opportunityto take action and make a difference The RNZRSA would like to specifically acknowledge thepioneering volunteer efforts and vision of Former Army Major - Simon Strombom Bronze Plaque Extraordinaire - Melanie Macdonald Porirua Historian - Allan Dodson of Porirua War Stories Your efforts will inspire many
Page 27
Table of Contents Introduction 3Getting started
Council cemeteries 56
7
Service cemeteries
Commonwealth war graves
Enlisting business support 8
Getting your team together 9
Notifying the community and relatives 12
Identifying and restoring graves 14
15General cleaning for all grave types16Granite graves including cenotaphs17Re-painting graves video
18Marble graves19Bronze plaques21Bronze restoration video 22Tools and materials
Keeping track and recording evidence 23Media and tours 25 More help and information 26Acknowledgements 27
4
Introduction
The inspiration for this project started when a Porirua historianshared a story of a deceased local war veteran via his websiteAn ex-Army Major and member of the Titahi Bay RSA decidedto visit the grave site Noticing how poorly maintained the sitewas he returned with a bucket and scrubbing brush and startedcleaning He soon realised the cemetery included many morereturned services graves and the vast majority of them werepoorly maintained Enlisting the help of another pair of handsthey got busy and uncovered many more stories and restoredwell over 80 service graves
Through trial and error this small team learned how to clean awide range of headstones plaques and memorials They alsolearned more about their local military history and were able toshare this with others in the community through public re-dedication services cemetery tours and social media updates
The National GravesProject aims to seevolunteers transformingcemetery sites all overNew Zealand We hopethis practical guide willinspire you and others toget stuck in
Page 3
01Firstly identify if the cemeteries military graves fall under the care of
Private property (managed by your local council) orMinistry of Veterans Affairs orMinistry of Culture and Heritage
The following pages will help you determine who is responsible for what and will make it easier todetermine if funding is available to assist with any restoration efforts
GETTING STARTED
Page 4
Cemeteries owned and managed by thelocal council often have rules as to whatthey will and will not do to maintain thecemetery Most commonly graves inthese cemeteries are private plots andconsidered the responsibility of thefamily to maintain This can present achallenge when seeking permission fromfamily members to restore the grave Councils do not keep records of familycontact details and due to privacycannot release the information even ifthey do hold records
Council Cemeteries
Page 5
Veterans Affairs (VA) look after Service Cemeteries and Memorials They fund over 100 service plotsin cemeteries which are intended to be maintained by councils VA They offer contributions towardsmemorial plaques and headstones (if they are broken damaged or incorrect) They do howeverrequire the military grave in question to be for a veteran with qualifying service They will provide the following
the memorialits installation andupdates of the plaque for spouses or partners also interred
When theyre buried in a public or private cemetery they can contribute up to $1000 Plaques andheadstones are standardised in both inscription and design for reasons of equality and uniformityPersonal inscriptions cant be added to memorials in Service Cemeteries Often the maintenance and establishment of Service Cemeteries are shared between VeteransAffairs local councils RSAs and other interested Veteran groups Whilst they do fund somemaintenance and improvements much of this work is done by volunteers Contact Veterans Affairs 0800 483-8372
Service Cemeteries
Page 6
Ministry of Culture and Heritage (MCH) are responsible for maintaining and managing new memorialprojects including
War and historic gravesNational monumentsNational Memorial ParkResearchAdministration of legislation and grantsWriting and publication of New Zealand history and reference works
MCH look after monuments and Commonwealth War Graves There are 3400 of these in New ZealandThese are casualties from WW1 and WW2 who died after the conflicts These soldiers died before1923 and 1946 respectively Outside of this war graves are considered the responsibility of councilsand families Contact MCH (04) 499-4229
Commonwealth War Graves
Page 7
02 ENLISTING BUSINESSSUPPORT
Because individual clean up projects are centered on aparticular location it is quite often possible to get localbusinesses to support your project either in the form ofdonated supplies services money or volunteering Local RSA
Funeral Directors
Corporate Volunteers
Local Hardware Store
Who might be able tohelp
Page 8
Your Local RSAHopefully your local RSA will be keen to support you and your project You may be able to use themas an umbrella organisation to your project which can make it easier to receive funding too Oftenmembers of the RSA are wanting to get involved and as such can be used as part of a volunteerteam to assist with the restoration work Funeral DirectorsLocal funeral directors can be very supportive of the restoration efforts and can often provideexcellent discounted services They can be particularly helpful if the cemetery you are restoring hasheadstones with lead lettering as these need to be professionally restored They can also providestone poppies or replacement plaques
Corporate VolunteersMany corporate organisations provide their staff with paid volunteer days (eg Z Energy) considerapproaching organisations such as these in order to promote your project and gain additionalvolunteer support for restoration efforts Local Hardware StoreThere are a few cleaning supplies which are needed Approaching your local hardware store with astory of what you are doing might help you obtain some of these supplies at a discounted rate oreven for free
Page 9
04 GETTING YOURTEAM TOGETHER
You do not need tons of people and can realisticallyget away with just a couple of keen individuals whoare passionate All too often these projects arenever started because a committee have overcomplicated it If itrsquos only two or three of you at thisstage then just get on with it Others will come onboard once you get started
Simon Strombom amp Melanie Macdonald of the Titahi Bay RSA
Page 10
Itrsquos a good idea to enlist the help of a localhistorian who is willing to take the time toinvestigate the individuals you come across The stories that emerge will give you and yourfollowers inspiration and motivation during thisjourney Undoubtedly they will help you uncoverhidden gems of local history and guide youthroughout your project The stories will give depth to your project and willcapture the attention of local and possibly evennational media
Engaging an historian with yourproject
Allan Dodson - Porirua War Storieswwwporiruawarstoriescom
Page 11
05 NOTIFYING THECOMMUNITY AND RELATIVES
Arrange a meeting with council and see ifthey have any interest in supporting yourproject Some councils will ignore you whileothers may come to the party and getinvolved If the plan is pitched as a part of theRSA National Graves Project you might besurprised You are at least letting them knowwhat you are up to When media get onboard its likely your local mayor orCouncillors will jump at the chance to supportthe good work you are doing
Meet with local council staff
Porirua Mayor Mike Tana and City Councillors
Page 12
Finding relatives can be a challenge Often extended family have long since moved out of the districtYou do have a responsibility to at least try and let people know you are going to work on cleaning upsome graves At best you will get some support At worst no-one responds in which case wesuggest you do it anyway
Finding relatives
Social media can be a useful tool to use whentrying to track down family members Oftenposting on local RSA pages or localcommunity groups can assist in getting theword out when seeking family members
Local newspapers may publish stories andarticles about your project which can help younotify the public and find family members orrelatives
Social media Local media
Page 13
06 IDENTIFYING amp RESTORINGGRAVES
There are a range of different types of graves that require various cleaning or restoration methods
Granite Military Grave with GranitePlaque for Wife
Bronze Plaque and ConcreteMilitary Grave
Granite Memorial Cenotaph Parents Marble Grave with Lead Letteringand Granite Plaque for Serving Child
Page 14
Spray with Bio-Shield Its a good idea to do one visit where you just identify thegraves spray them and make a plan for what graves you will focus on first
General cleaning for all grave types
Step 1
Scrub using a bucket of water and a stiff bristled brush Step 2
Page 15
After spraying and cleaning Using awhite water based enamel paint anda 2mm paint brush paint over theexisting lettering and leave for10 mins to dry
Granite graves includingcenotaphs
Step 1
Using a light razor blade scraperremove the excess dry paint
Step 2
Using cuttlefish bone from pet shopclean up detail around the letteringand emblem
Step 3
Page 16
Painting Graves Video
httpswwwyoutubecomwatchv=VkQP6Kr2-SY
Page 17
Marble graves may need several spray andscrub sessions using Bio-Shield It is normal forthe marble to turn pink or brown as the lichendies Eventually the Marble will go white Its worth trying to get a stone mason to also bea sponsor for your project Their services will berequired to repair any lead lettering that isbroken
Marble Graves
Page 18
Clean the bronze plaque byscrubbing it with water and amedium textured scrubbing brush
Bronze Plaques
Step 1
Make a paste from white vinegar (1cup) and table salt (⅛ of a cup) anduse flour to bind the ingredients andcreate the paste It should bethe consistency of slightly runnypeanut butter
Step 2
Apply the paste to the bronze plaquewith a paintbrush and leave for 2-3hours You will notice that the pasteturns green as it extracts the patinaAvoid letting the paste becomecompletely dry as it is difficult toremove when this happens
Step 3
Remove the paste using papertowels and scrub clean Washwith water and a medium texturedscrubbing brush
Step 4
Step 5 Repeat steps 2-4 three or four timesuntil the bronze is restored back toits original bronze colour
Page 19
After cleaning the bronze sand withP220 wet and dry sandpaper Step 6
Once the bronze lettering andborders have been sanded paint inthe surface of the bronze usinga jet black leather dye (found in mostshoe repair shops)
Step 7
Spray bronze with a clear lacquerfinish spray that is suitable forcopper bronze and similar alloys
Step 10
When spray has dried repeat step10 a couple more times to provide agood protective layer
Step 11
Step 12 Wax the bronze plaque using a softbrush to apply the wax and a softcloth to polish it Recommendedyou use a polish wax that containscarnauba wax
When dye has dried repeat step 7until the desired colour has beenreached It should take 2-3 coats forthis to occur
Step 8
Sand the bronze lettering once moreto ensure it retains its bronze shineand remove any dye that may havecovered the lettering or borders
Step 9
Page 20
Bronze Restoration Video
httpsyoutube1cz8HkTxvgo
Page 21
Tools and Materials
Carnauba wax 220 grit sandpaper Leather dye Lacquer Bucket soft cloth paper towelsscrubbing brush
Razor blade Various paint brushes Cuttlefish bone Enamel paint
Page 22
07 KEEPING TRACK ANDRECORDING EVIDENCE
Keeping track of what you have done helps you easily share your progress and evidence withothers and protects you if anybody is concerned about any damage made to a headstone
Smaller Cemeteries If you are only working with a small cemetery and 5-6 graves then we recommend recording thecemetery and number of graves completed as well as taking simple before and after photos (If you aresocially savvy these can be posted on the NZ Remembrance Army Facebook page)
Page 23
Larger Cemeteries
If you are working with a town or city cemetery with more than 15 service graves you will need to bemore methodical and planned in your process These sites are likely to take multiple days and keepingtrack of progress is important We recommend obtaining a site map from the council and setting up aspreadsheet register and recording your plan and progress as you go Your register should include fields such as plot number name service number rank served where general notes cleaned YN photo YN type(bronze granite etc)
Archway - NZ Archives Portal (wwwarchwayarchivesgovtnz) is a great place to find servicedetails of WW1 Veterans
Page 24
08 MEDIA amp TOURS
Letting the local media know about your project can be useful for spreading the message further to reachfamily or relatives Media exposure can also help you engage other volunteers dignitaries and corporatesupport
We recommend getting started with the cleaning first and when you have some good photos and a fewstories contact your local newspaper and tell them what you are doing The National Graves Project falls under the activities of the NZ Remembrance Army which is a newlyestablished group with a focus on protecting NZs Military Heritage The NZ Remembrance Army issupported by the RSA and other veteran organisations Local ToursIf you do engage a local historian researcher running a local tour on a significant day like Anzac orArmistice day can really help engage your community in your project
Page 25
09 MORE HELP ANDINFORMATION
This project has been sponsored by Bio-Shield who providethe highest quality product which has delivered outstandingresults for volunteers cleaning concrete and headstones To apply for your free Bio-Shield please complete theonline form here
Contact RNZRSAenquiriesrsaorgnz04 384 7994
wwwrsaorgnzapplication-bio-shield
We recommend you follow and share the NZ RemembranceArmy facebook page and let others know about your plansand progress This will help inspire others and help ensuregroups in the same district can work together Page 26
10 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This guide was developed by the RNZRSA with the help of a few key people who saw an opportunityto take action and make a difference The RNZRSA would like to specifically acknowledge thepioneering volunteer efforts and vision of Former Army Major - Simon Strombom Bronze Plaque Extraordinaire - Melanie Macdonald Porirua Historian - Allan Dodson of Porirua War Stories Your efforts will inspire many
Page 27
Introduction
The inspiration for this project started when a Porirua historianshared a story of a deceased local war veteran via his websiteAn ex-Army Major and member of the Titahi Bay RSA decidedto visit the grave site Noticing how poorly maintained the sitewas he returned with a bucket and scrubbing brush and startedcleaning He soon realised the cemetery included many morereturned services graves and the vast majority of them werepoorly maintained Enlisting the help of another pair of handsthey got busy and uncovered many more stories and restoredwell over 80 service graves
Through trial and error this small team learned how to clean awide range of headstones plaques and memorials They alsolearned more about their local military history and were able toshare this with others in the community through public re-dedication services cemetery tours and social media updates
The National GravesProject aims to seevolunteers transformingcemetery sites all overNew Zealand We hopethis practical guide willinspire you and others toget stuck in
Page 3
01Firstly identify if the cemeteries military graves fall under the care of
Private property (managed by your local council) orMinistry of Veterans Affairs orMinistry of Culture and Heritage
The following pages will help you determine who is responsible for what and will make it easier todetermine if funding is available to assist with any restoration efforts
GETTING STARTED
Page 4
Cemeteries owned and managed by thelocal council often have rules as to whatthey will and will not do to maintain thecemetery Most commonly graves inthese cemeteries are private plots andconsidered the responsibility of thefamily to maintain This can present achallenge when seeking permission fromfamily members to restore the grave Councils do not keep records of familycontact details and due to privacycannot release the information even ifthey do hold records
Council Cemeteries
Page 5
Veterans Affairs (VA) look after Service Cemeteries and Memorials They fund over 100 service plotsin cemeteries which are intended to be maintained by councils VA They offer contributions towardsmemorial plaques and headstones (if they are broken damaged or incorrect) They do howeverrequire the military grave in question to be for a veteran with qualifying service They will provide the following
the memorialits installation andupdates of the plaque for spouses or partners also interred
When theyre buried in a public or private cemetery they can contribute up to $1000 Plaques andheadstones are standardised in both inscription and design for reasons of equality and uniformityPersonal inscriptions cant be added to memorials in Service Cemeteries Often the maintenance and establishment of Service Cemeteries are shared between VeteransAffairs local councils RSAs and other interested Veteran groups Whilst they do fund somemaintenance and improvements much of this work is done by volunteers Contact Veterans Affairs 0800 483-8372
Service Cemeteries
Page 6
Ministry of Culture and Heritage (MCH) are responsible for maintaining and managing new memorialprojects including
War and historic gravesNational monumentsNational Memorial ParkResearchAdministration of legislation and grantsWriting and publication of New Zealand history and reference works
MCH look after monuments and Commonwealth War Graves There are 3400 of these in New ZealandThese are casualties from WW1 and WW2 who died after the conflicts These soldiers died before1923 and 1946 respectively Outside of this war graves are considered the responsibility of councilsand families Contact MCH (04) 499-4229
Commonwealth War Graves
Page 7
02 ENLISTING BUSINESSSUPPORT
Because individual clean up projects are centered on aparticular location it is quite often possible to get localbusinesses to support your project either in the form ofdonated supplies services money or volunteering Local RSA
Funeral Directors
Corporate Volunteers
Local Hardware Store
Who might be able tohelp
Page 8
Your Local RSAHopefully your local RSA will be keen to support you and your project You may be able to use themas an umbrella organisation to your project which can make it easier to receive funding too Oftenmembers of the RSA are wanting to get involved and as such can be used as part of a volunteerteam to assist with the restoration work Funeral DirectorsLocal funeral directors can be very supportive of the restoration efforts and can often provideexcellent discounted services They can be particularly helpful if the cemetery you are restoring hasheadstones with lead lettering as these need to be professionally restored They can also providestone poppies or replacement plaques
Corporate VolunteersMany corporate organisations provide their staff with paid volunteer days (eg Z Energy) considerapproaching organisations such as these in order to promote your project and gain additionalvolunteer support for restoration efforts Local Hardware StoreThere are a few cleaning supplies which are needed Approaching your local hardware store with astory of what you are doing might help you obtain some of these supplies at a discounted rate oreven for free
Page 9
04 GETTING YOURTEAM TOGETHER
You do not need tons of people and can realisticallyget away with just a couple of keen individuals whoare passionate All too often these projects arenever started because a committee have overcomplicated it If itrsquos only two or three of you at thisstage then just get on with it Others will come onboard once you get started
Simon Strombom amp Melanie Macdonald of the Titahi Bay RSA
Page 10
Itrsquos a good idea to enlist the help of a localhistorian who is willing to take the time toinvestigate the individuals you come across The stories that emerge will give you and yourfollowers inspiration and motivation during thisjourney Undoubtedly they will help you uncoverhidden gems of local history and guide youthroughout your project The stories will give depth to your project and willcapture the attention of local and possibly evennational media
Engaging an historian with yourproject
Allan Dodson - Porirua War Storieswwwporiruawarstoriescom
Page 11
05 NOTIFYING THECOMMUNITY AND RELATIVES
Arrange a meeting with council and see ifthey have any interest in supporting yourproject Some councils will ignore you whileothers may come to the party and getinvolved If the plan is pitched as a part of theRSA National Graves Project you might besurprised You are at least letting them knowwhat you are up to When media get onboard its likely your local mayor orCouncillors will jump at the chance to supportthe good work you are doing
Meet with local council staff
Porirua Mayor Mike Tana and City Councillors
Page 12
Finding relatives can be a challenge Often extended family have long since moved out of the districtYou do have a responsibility to at least try and let people know you are going to work on cleaning upsome graves At best you will get some support At worst no-one responds in which case wesuggest you do it anyway
Finding relatives
Social media can be a useful tool to use whentrying to track down family members Oftenposting on local RSA pages or localcommunity groups can assist in getting theword out when seeking family members
Local newspapers may publish stories andarticles about your project which can help younotify the public and find family members orrelatives
Social media Local media
Page 13
06 IDENTIFYING amp RESTORINGGRAVES
There are a range of different types of graves that require various cleaning or restoration methods
Granite Military Grave with GranitePlaque for Wife
Bronze Plaque and ConcreteMilitary Grave
Granite Memorial Cenotaph Parents Marble Grave with Lead Letteringand Granite Plaque for Serving Child
Page 14
Spray with Bio-Shield Its a good idea to do one visit where you just identify thegraves spray them and make a plan for what graves you will focus on first
General cleaning for all grave types
Step 1
Scrub using a bucket of water and a stiff bristled brush Step 2
Page 15
After spraying and cleaning Using awhite water based enamel paint anda 2mm paint brush paint over theexisting lettering and leave for10 mins to dry
Granite graves includingcenotaphs
Step 1
Using a light razor blade scraperremove the excess dry paint
Step 2
Using cuttlefish bone from pet shopclean up detail around the letteringand emblem
Step 3
Page 16
Painting Graves Video
httpswwwyoutubecomwatchv=VkQP6Kr2-SY
Page 17
Marble graves may need several spray andscrub sessions using Bio-Shield It is normal forthe marble to turn pink or brown as the lichendies Eventually the Marble will go white Its worth trying to get a stone mason to also bea sponsor for your project Their services will berequired to repair any lead lettering that isbroken
Marble Graves
Page 18
Clean the bronze plaque byscrubbing it with water and amedium textured scrubbing brush
Bronze Plaques
Step 1
Make a paste from white vinegar (1cup) and table salt (⅛ of a cup) anduse flour to bind the ingredients andcreate the paste It should bethe consistency of slightly runnypeanut butter
Step 2
Apply the paste to the bronze plaquewith a paintbrush and leave for 2-3hours You will notice that the pasteturns green as it extracts the patinaAvoid letting the paste becomecompletely dry as it is difficult toremove when this happens
Step 3
Remove the paste using papertowels and scrub clean Washwith water and a medium texturedscrubbing brush
Step 4
Step 5 Repeat steps 2-4 three or four timesuntil the bronze is restored back toits original bronze colour
Page 19
After cleaning the bronze sand withP220 wet and dry sandpaper Step 6
Once the bronze lettering andborders have been sanded paint inthe surface of the bronze usinga jet black leather dye (found in mostshoe repair shops)
Step 7
Spray bronze with a clear lacquerfinish spray that is suitable forcopper bronze and similar alloys
Step 10
When spray has dried repeat step10 a couple more times to provide agood protective layer
Step 11
Step 12 Wax the bronze plaque using a softbrush to apply the wax and a softcloth to polish it Recommendedyou use a polish wax that containscarnauba wax
When dye has dried repeat step 7until the desired colour has beenreached It should take 2-3 coats forthis to occur
Step 8
Sand the bronze lettering once moreto ensure it retains its bronze shineand remove any dye that may havecovered the lettering or borders
Step 9
Page 20
Bronze Restoration Video
httpsyoutube1cz8HkTxvgo
Page 21
Tools and Materials
Carnauba wax 220 grit sandpaper Leather dye Lacquer Bucket soft cloth paper towelsscrubbing brush
Razor blade Various paint brushes Cuttlefish bone Enamel paint
Page 22
07 KEEPING TRACK ANDRECORDING EVIDENCE
Keeping track of what you have done helps you easily share your progress and evidence withothers and protects you if anybody is concerned about any damage made to a headstone
Smaller Cemeteries If you are only working with a small cemetery and 5-6 graves then we recommend recording thecemetery and number of graves completed as well as taking simple before and after photos (If you aresocially savvy these can be posted on the NZ Remembrance Army Facebook page)
Page 23
Larger Cemeteries
If you are working with a town or city cemetery with more than 15 service graves you will need to bemore methodical and planned in your process These sites are likely to take multiple days and keepingtrack of progress is important We recommend obtaining a site map from the council and setting up aspreadsheet register and recording your plan and progress as you go Your register should include fields such as plot number name service number rank served where general notes cleaned YN photo YN type(bronze granite etc)
Archway - NZ Archives Portal (wwwarchwayarchivesgovtnz) is a great place to find servicedetails of WW1 Veterans
Page 24
08 MEDIA amp TOURS
Letting the local media know about your project can be useful for spreading the message further to reachfamily or relatives Media exposure can also help you engage other volunteers dignitaries and corporatesupport
We recommend getting started with the cleaning first and when you have some good photos and a fewstories contact your local newspaper and tell them what you are doing The National Graves Project falls under the activities of the NZ Remembrance Army which is a newlyestablished group with a focus on protecting NZs Military Heritage The NZ Remembrance Army issupported by the RSA and other veteran organisations Local ToursIf you do engage a local historian researcher running a local tour on a significant day like Anzac orArmistice day can really help engage your community in your project
Page 25
09 MORE HELP ANDINFORMATION
This project has been sponsored by Bio-Shield who providethe highest quality product which has delivered outstandingresults for volunteers cleaning concrete and headstones To apply for your free Bio-Shield please complete theonline form here
Contact RNZRSAenquiriesrsaorgnz04 384 7994
wwwrsaorgnzapplication-bio-shield
We recommend you follow and share the NZ RemembranceArmy facebook page and let others know about your plansand progress This will help inspire others and help ensuregroups in the same district can work together Page 26
10 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This guide was developed by the RNZRSA with the help of a few key people who saw an opportunityto take action and make a difference The RNZRSA would like to specifically acknowledge thepioneering volunteer efforts and vision of Former Army Major - Simon Strombom Bronze Plaque Extraordinaire - Melanie Macdonald Porirua Historian - Allan Dodson of Porirua War Stories Your efforts will inspire many
Page 27
01Firstly identify if the cemeteries military graves fall under the care of
Private property (managed by your local council) orMinistry of Veterans Affairs orMinistry of Culture and Heritage
The following pages will help you determine who is responsible for what and will make it easier todetermine if funding is available to assist with any restoration efforts
GETTING STARTED
Page 4
Cemeteries owned and managed by thelocal council often have rules as to whatthey will and will not do to maintain thecemetery Most commonly graves inthese cemeteries are private plots andconsidered the responsibility of thefamily to maintain This can present achallenge when seeking permission fromfamily members to restore the grave Councils do not keep records of familycontact details and due to privacycannot release the information even ifthey do hold records
Council Cemeteries
Page 5
Veterans Affairs (VA) look after Service Cemeteries and Memorials They fund over 100 service plotsin cemeteries which are intended to be maintained by councils VA They offer contributions towardsmemorial plaques and headstones (if they are broken damaged or incorrect) They do howeverrequire the military grave in question to be for a veteran with qualifying service They will provide the following
the memorialits installation andupdates of the plaque for spouses or partners also interred
When theyre buried in a public or private cemetery they can contribute up to $1000 Plaques andheadstones are standardised in both inscription and design for reasons of equality and uniformityPersonal inscriptions cant be added to memorials in Service Cemeteries Often the maintenance and establishment of Service Cemeteries are shared between VeteransAffairs local councils RSAs and other interested Veteran groups Whilst they do fund somemaintenance and improvements much of this work is done by volunteers Contact Veterans Affairs 0800 483-8372
Service Cemeteries
Page 6
Ministry of Culture and Heritage (MCH) are responsible for maintaining and managing new memorialprojects including
War and historic gravesNational monumentsNational Memorial ParkResearchAdministration of legislation and grantsWriting and publication of New Zealand history and reference works
MCH look after monuments and Commonwealth War Graves There are 3400 of these in New ZealandThese are casualties from WW1 and WW2 who died after the conflicts These soldiers died before1923 and 1946 respectively Outside of this war graves are considered the responsibility of councilsand families Contact MCH (04) 499-4229
Commonwealth War Graves
Page 7
02 ENLISTING BUSINESSSUPPORT
Because individual clean up projects are centered on aparticular location it is quite often possible to get localbusinesses to support your project either in the form ofdonated supplies services money or volunteering Local RSA
Funeral Directors
Corporate Volunteers
Local Hardware Store
Who might be able tohelp
Page 8
Your Local RSAHopefully your local RSA will be keen to support you and your project You may be able to use themas an umbrella organisation to your project which can make it easier to receive funding too Oftenmembers of the RSA are wanting to get involved and as such can be used as part of a volunteerteam to assist with the restoration work Funeral DirectorsLocal funeral directors can be very supportive of the restoration efforts and can often provideexcellent discounted services They can be particularly helpful if the cemetery you are restoring hasheadstones with lead lettering as these need to be professionally restored They can also providestone poppies or replacement plaques
Corporate VolunteersMany corporate organisations provide their staff with paid volunteer days (eg Z Energy) considerapproaching organisations such as these in order to promote your project and gain additionalvolunteer support for restoration efforts Local Hardware StoreThere are a few cleaning supplies which are needed Approaching your local hardware store with astory of what you are doing might help you obtain some of these supplies at a discounted rate oreven for free
Page 9
04 GETTING YOURTEAM TOGETHER
You do not need tons of people and can realisticallyget away with just a couple of keen individuals whoare passionate All too often these projects arenever started because a committee have overcomplicated it If itrsquos only two or three of you at thisstage then just get on with it Others will come onboard once you get started
Simon Strombom amp Melanie Macdonald of the Titahi Bay RSA
Page 10
Itrsquos a good idea to enlist the help of a localhistorian who is willing to take the time toinvestigate the individuals you come across The stories that emerge will give you and yourfollowers inspiration and motivation during thisjourney Undoubtedly they will help you uncoverhidden gems of local history and guide youthroughout your project The stories will give depth to your project and willcapture the attention of local and possibly evennational media
Engaging an historian with yourproject
Allan Dodson - Porirua War Storieswwwporiruawarstoriescom
Page 11
05 NOTIFYING THECOMMUNITY AND RELATIVES
Arrange a meeting with council and see ifthey have any interest in supporting yourproject Some councils will ignore you whileothers may come to the party and getinvolved If the plan is pitched as a part of theRSA National Graves Project you might besurprised You are at least letting them knowwhat you are up to When media get onboard its likely your local mayor orCouncillors will jump at the chance to supportthe good work you are doing
Meet with local council staff
Porirua Mayor Mike Tana and City Councillors
Page 12
Finding relatives can be a challenge Often extended family have long since moved out of the districtYou do have a responsibility to at least try and let people know you are going to work on cleaning upsome graves At best you will get some support At worst no-one responds in which case wesuggest you do it anyway
Finding relatives
Social media can be a useful tool to use whentrying to track down family members Oftenposting on local RSA pages or localcommunity groups can assist in getting theword out when seeking family members
Local newspapers may publish stories andarticles about your project which can help younotify the public and find family members orrelatives
Social media Local media
Page 13
06 IDENTIFYING amp RESTORINGGRAVES
There are a range of different types of graves that require various cleaning or restoration methods
Granite Military Grave with GranitePlaque for Wife
Bronze Plaque and ConcreteMilitary Grave
Granite Memorial Cenotaph Parents Marble Grave with Lead Letteringand Granite Plaque for Serving Child
Page 14
Spray with Bio-Shield Its a good idea to do one visit where you just identify thegraves spray them and make a plan for what graves you will focus on first
General cleaning for all grave types
Step 1
Scrub using a bucket of water and a stiff bristled brush Step 2
Page 15
After spraying and cleaning Using awhite water based enamel paint anda 2mm paint brush paint over theexisting lettering and leave for10 mins to dry
Granite graves includingcenotaphs
Step 1
Using a light razor blade scraperremove the excess dry paint
Step 2
Using cuttlefish bone from pet shopclean up detail around the letteringand emblem
Step 3
Page 16
Painting Graves Video
httpswwwyoutubecomwatchv=VkQP6Kr2-SY
Page 17
Marble graves may need several spray andscrub sessions using Bio-Shield It is normal forthe marble to turn pink or brown as the lichendies Eventually the Marble will go white Its worth trying to get a stone mason to also bea sponsor for your project Their services will berequired to repair any lead lettering that isbroken
Marble Graves
Page 18
Clean the bronze plaque byscrubbing it with water and amedium textured scrubbing brush
Bronze Plaques
Step 1
Make a paste from white vinegar (1cup) and table salt (⅛ of a cup) anduse flour to bind the ingredients andcreate the paste It should bethe consistency of slightly runnypeanut butter
Step 2
Apply the paste to the bronze plaquewith a paintbrush and leave for 2-3hours You will notice that the pasteturns green as it extracts the patinaAvoid letting the paste becomecompletely dry as it is difficult toremove when this happens
Step 3
Remove the paste using papertowels and scrub clean Washwith water and a medium texturedscrubbing brush
Step 4
Step 5 Repeat steps 2-4 three or four timesuntil the bronze is restored back toits original bronze colour
Page 19
After cleaning the bronze sand withP220 wet and dry sandpaper Step 6
Once the bronze lettering andborders have been sanded paint inthe surface of the bronze usinga jet black leather dye (found in mostshoe repair shops)
Step 7
Spray bronze with a clear lacquerfinish spray that is suitable forcopper bronze and similar alloys
Step 10
When spray has dried repeat step10 a couple more times to provide agood protective layer
Step 11
Step 12 Wax the bronze plaque using a softbrush to apply the wax and a softcloth to polish it Recommendedyou use a polish wax that containscarnauba wax
When dye has dried repeat step 7until the desired colour has beenreached It should take 2-3 coats forthis to occur
Step 8
Sand the bronze lettering once moreto ensure it retains its bronze shineand remove any dye that may havecovered the lettering or borders
Step 9
Page 20
Bronze Restoration Video
httpsyoutube1cz8HkTxvgo
Page 21
Tools and Materials
Carnauba wax 220 grit sandpaper Leather dye Lacquer Bucket soft cloth paper towelsscrubbing brush
Razor blade Various paint brushes Cuttlefish bone Enamel paint
Page 22
07 KEEPING TRACK ANDRECORDING EVIDENCE
Keeping track of what you have done helps you easily share your progress and evidence withothers and protects you if anybody is concerned about any damage made to a headstone
Smaller Cemeteries If you are only working with a small cemetery and 5-6 graves then we recommend recording thecemetery and number of graves completed as well as taking simple before and after photos (If you aresocially savvy these can be posted on the NZ Remembrance Army Facebook page)
Page 23
Larger Cemeteries
If you are working with a town or city cemetery with more than 15 service graves you will need to bemore methodical and planned in your process These sites are likely to take multiple days and keepingtrack of progress is important We recommend obtaining a site map from the council and setting up aspreadsheet register and recording your plan and progress as you go Your register should include fields such as plot number name service number rank served where general notes cleaned YN photo YN type(bronze granite etc)
Archway - NZ Archives Portal (wwwarchwayarchivesgovtnz) is a great place to find servicedetails of WW1 Veterans
Page 24
08 MEDIA amp TOURS
Letting the local media know about your project can be useful for spreading the message further to reachfamily or relatives Media exposure can also help you engage other volunteers dignitaries and corporatesupport
We recommend getting started with the cleaning first and when you have some good photos and a fewstories contact your local newspaper and tell them what you are doing The National Graves Project falls under the activities of the NZ Remembrance Army which is a newlyestablished group with a focus on protecting NZs Military Heritage The NZ Remembrance Army issupported by the RSA and other veteran organisations Local ToursIf you do engage a local historian researcher running a local tour on a significant day like Anzac orArmistice day can really help engage your community in your project
Page 25
09 MORE HELP ANDINFORMATION
This project has been sponsored by Bio-Shield who providethe highest quality product which has delivered outstandingresults for volunteers cleaning concrete and headstones To apply for your free Bio-Shield please complete theonline form here
Contact RNZRSAenquiriesrsaorgnz04 384 7994
wwwrsaorgnzapplication-bio-shield
We recommend you follow and share the NZ RemembranceArmy facebook page and let others know about your plansand progress This will help inspire others and help ensuregroups in the same district can work together Page 26
10 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This guide was developed by the RNZRSA with the help of a few key people who saw an opportunityto take action and make a difference The RNZRSA would like to specifically acknowledge thepioneering volunteer efforts and vision of Former Army Major - Simon Strombom Bronze Plaque Extraordinaire - Melanie Macdonald Porirua Historian - Allan Dodson of Porirua War Stories Your efforts will inspire many
Page 27
Cemeteries owned and managed by thelocal council often have rules as to whatthey will and will not do to maintain thecemetery Most commonly graves inthese cemeteries are private plots andconsidered the responsibility of thefamily to maintain This can present achallenge when seeking permission fromfamily members to restore the grave Councils do not keep records of familycontact details and due to privacycannot release the information even ifthey do hold records
Council Cemeteries
Page 5
Veterans Affairs (VA) look after Service Cemeteries and Memorials They fund over 100 service plotsin cemeteries which are intended to be maintained by councils VA They offer contributions towardsmemorial plaques and headstones (if they are broken damaged or incorrect) They do howeverrequire the military grave in question to be for a veteran with qualifying service They will provide the following
the memorialits installation andupdates of the plaque for spouses or partners also interred
When theyre buried in a public or private cemetery they can contribute up to $1000 Plaques andheadstones are standardised in both inscription and design for reasons of equality and uniformityPersonal inscriptions cant be added to memorials in Service Cemeteries Often the maintenance and establishment of Service Cemeteries are shared between VeteransAffairs local councils RSAs and other interested Veteran groups Whilst they do fund somemaintenance and improvements much of this work is done by volunteers Contact Veterans Affairs 0800 483-8372
Service Cemeteries
Page 6
Ministry of Culture and Heritage (MCH) are responsible for maintaining and managing new memorialprojects including
War and historic gravesNational monumentsNational Memorial ParkResearchAdministration of legislation and grantsWriting and publication of New Zealand history and reference works
MCH look after monuments and Commonwealth War Graves There are 3400 of these in New ZealandThese are casualties from WW1 and WW2 who died after the conflicts These soldiers died before1923 and 1946 respectively Outside of this war graves are considered the responsibility of councilsand families Contact MCH (04) 499-4229
Commonwealth War Graves
Page 7
02 ENLISTING BUSINESSSUPPORT
Because individual clean up projects are centered on aparticular location it is quite often possible to get localbusinesses to support your project either in the form ofdonated supplies services money or volunteering Local RSA
Funeral Directors
Corporate Volunteers
Local Hardware Store
Who might be able tohelp
Page 8
Your Local RSAHopefully your local RSA will be keen to support you and your project You may be able to use themas an umbrella organisation to your project which can make it easier to receive funding too Oftenmembers of the RSA are wanting to get involved and as such can be used as part of a volunteerteam to assist with the restoration work Funeral DirectorsLocal funeral directors can be very supportive of the restoration efforts and can often provideexcellent discounted services They can be particularly helpful if the cemetery you are restoring hasheadstones with lead lettering as these need to be professionally restored They can also providestone poppies or replacement plaques
Corporate VolunteersMany corporate organisations provide their staff with paid volunteer days (eg Z Energy) considerapproaching organisations such as these in order to promote your project and gain additionalvolunteer support for restoration efforts Local Hardware StoreThere are a few cleaning supplies which are needed Approaching your local hardware store with astory of what you are doing might help you obtain some of these supplies at a discounted rate oreven for free
Page 9
04 GETTING YOURTEAM TOGETHER
You do not need tons of people and can realisticallyget away with just a couple of keen individuals whoare passionate All too often these projects arenever started because a committee have overcomplicated it If itrsquos only two or three of you at thisstage then just get on with it Others will come onboard once you get started
Simon Strombom amp Melanie Macdonald of the Titahi Bay RSA
Page 10
Itrsquos a good idea to enlist the help of a localhistorian who is willing to take the time toinvestigate the individuals you come across The stories that emerge will give you and yourfollowers inspiration and motivation during thisjourney Undoubtedly they will help you uncoverhidden gems of local history and guide youthroughout your project The stories will give depth to your project and willcapture the attention of local and possibly evennational media
Engaging an historian with yourproject
Allan Dodson - Porirua War Storieswwwporiruawarstoriescom
Page 11
05 NOTIFYING THECOMMUNITY AND RELATIVES
Arrange a meeting with council and see ifthey have any interest in supporting yourproject Some councils will ignore you whileothers may come to the party and getinvolved If the plan is pitched as a part of theRSA National Graves Project you might besurprised You are at least letting them knowwhat you are up to When media get onboard its likely your local mayor orCouncillors will jump at the chance to supportthe good work you are doing
Meet with local council staff
Porirua Mayor Mike Tana and City Councillors
Page 12
Finding relatives can be a challenge Often extended family have long since moved out of the districtYou do have a responsibility to at least try and let people know you are going to work on cleaning upsome graves At best you will get some support At worst no-one responds in which case wesuggest you do it anyway
Finding relatives
Social media can be a useful tool to use whentrying to track down family members Oftenposting on local RSA pages or localcommunity groups can assist in getting theword out when seeking family members
Local newspapers may publish stories andarticles about your project which can help younotify the public and find family members orrelatives
Social media Local media
Page 13
06 IDENTIFYING amp RESTORINGGRAVES
There are a range of different types of graves that require various cleaning or restoration methods
Granite Military Grave with GranitePlaque for Wife
Bronze Plaque and ConcreteMilitary Grave
Granite Memorial Cenotaph Parents Marble Grave with Lead Letteringand Granite Plaque for Serving Child
Page 14
Spray with Bio-Shield Its a good idea to do one visit where you just identify thegraves spray them and make a plan for what graves you will focus on first
General cleaning for all grave types
Step 1
Scrub using a bucket of water and a stiff bristled brush Step 2
Page 15
After spraying and cleaning Using awhite water based enamel paint anda 2mm paint brush paint over theexisting lettering and leave for10 mins to dry
Granite graves includingcenotaphs
Step 1
Using a light razor blade scraperremove the excess dry paint
Step 2
Using cuttlefish bone from pet shopclean up detail around the letteringand emblem
Step 3
Page 16
Painting Graves Video
httpswwwyoutubecomwatchv=VkQP6Kr2-SY
Page 17
Marble graves may need several spray andscrub sessions using Bio-Shield It is normal forthe marble to turn pink or brown as the lichendies Eventually the Marble will go white Its worth trying to get a stone mason to also bea sponsor for your project Their services will berequired to repair any lead lettering that isbroken
Marble Graves
Page 18
Clean the bronze plaque byscrubbing it with water and amedium textured scrubbing brush
Bronze Plaques
Step 1
Make a paste from white vinegar (1cup) and table salt (⅛ of a cup) anduse flour to bind the ingredients andcreate the paste It should bethe consistency of slightly runnypeanut butter
Step 2
Apply the paste to the bronze plaquewith a paintbrush and leave for 2-3hours You will notice that the pasteturns green as it extracts the patinaAvoid letting the paste becomecompletely dry as it is difficult toremove when this happens
Step 3
Remove the paste using papertowels and scrub clean Washwith water and a medium texturedscrubbing brush
Step 4
Step 5 Repeat steps 2-4 three or four timesuntil the bronze is restored back toits original bronze colour
Page 19
After cleaning the bronze sand withP220 wet and dry sandpaper Step 6
Once the bronze lettering andborders have been sanded paint inthe surface of the bronze usinga jet black leather dye (found in mostshoe repair shops)
Step 7
Spray bronze with a clear lacquerfinish spray that is suitable forcopper bronze and similar alloys
Step 10
When spray has dried repeat step10 a couple more times to provide agood protective layer
Step 11
Step 12 Wax the bronze plaque using a softbrush to apply the wax and a softcloth to polish it Recommendedyou use a polish wax that containscarnauba wax
When dye has dried repeat step 7until the desired colour has beenreached It should take 2-3 coats forthis to occur
Step 8
Sand the bronze lettering once moreto ensure it retains its bronze shineand remove any dye that may havecovered the lettering or borders
Step 9
Page 20
Bronze Restoration Video
httpsyoutube1cz8HkTxvgo
Page 21
Tools and Materials
Carnauba wax 220 grit sandpaper Leather dye Lacquer Bucket soft cloth paper towelsscrubbing brush
Razor blade Various paint brushes Cuttlefish bone Enamel paint
Page 22
07 KEEPING TRACK ANDRECORDING EVIDENCE
Keeping track of what you have done helps you easily share your progress and evidence withothers and protects you if anybody is concerned about any damage made to a headstone
Smaller Cemeteries If you are only working with a small cemetery and 5-6 graves then we recommend recording thecemetery and number of graves completed as well as taking simple before and after photos (If you aresocially savvy these can be posted on the NZ Remembrance Army Facebook page)
Page 23
Larger Cemeteries
If you are working with a town or city cemetery with more than 15 service graves you will need to bemore methodical and planned in your process These sites are likely to take multiple days and keepingtrack of progress is important We recommend obtaining a site map from the council and setting up aspreadsheet register and recording your plan and progress as you go Your register should include fields such as plot number name service number rank served where general notes cleaned YN photo YN type(bronze granite etc)
Archway - NZ Archives Portal (wwwarchwayarchivesgovtnz) is a great place to find servicedetails of WW1 Veterans
Page 24
08 MEDIA amp TOURS
Letting the local media know about your project can be useful for spreading the message further to reachfamily or relatives Media exposure can also help you engage other volunteers dignitaries and corporatesupport
We recommend getting started with the cleaning first and when you have some good photos and a fewstories contact your local newspaper and tell them what you are doing The National Graves Project falls under the activities of the NZ Remembrance Army which is a newlyestablished group with a focus on protecting NZs Military Heritage The NZ Remembrance Army issupported by the RSA and other veteran organisations Local ToursIf you do engage a local historian researcher running a local tour on a significant day like Anzac orArmistice day can really help engage your community in your project
Page 25
09 MORE HELP ANDINFORMATION
This project has been sponsored by Bio-Shield who providethe highest quality product which has delivered outstandingresults for volunteers cleaning concrete and headstones To apply for your free Bio-Shield please complete theonline form here
Contact RNZRSAenquiriesrsaorgnz04 384 7994
wwwrsaorgnzapplication-bio-shield
We recommend you follow and share the NZ RemembranceArmy facebook page and let others know about your plansand progress This will help inspire others and help ensuregroups in the same district can work together Page 26
10 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This guide was developed by the RNZRSA with the help of a few key people who saw an opportunityto take action and make a difference The RNZRSA would like to specifically acknowledge thepioneering volunteer efforts and vision of Former Army Major - Simon Strombom Bronze Plaque Extraordinaire - Melanie Macdonald Porirua Historian - Allan Dodson of Porirua War Stories Your efforts will inspire many
Page 27
Veterans Affairs (VA) look after Service Cemeteries and Memorials They fund over 100 service plotsin cemeteries which are intended to be maintained by councils VA They offer contributions towardsmemorial plaques and headstones (if they are broken damaged or incorrect) They do howeverrequire the military grave in question to be for a veteran with qualifying service They will provide the following
the memorialits installation andupdates of the plaque for spouses or partners also interred
When theyre buried in a public or private cemetery they can contribute up to $1000 Plaques andheadstones are standardised in both inscription and design for reasons of equality and uniformityPersonal inscriptions cant be added to memorials in Service Cemeteries Often the maintenance and establishment of Service Cemeteries are shared between VeteransAffairs local councils RSAs and other interested Veteran groups Whilst they do fund somemaintenance and improvements much of this work is done by volunteers Contact Veterans Affairs 0800 483-8372
Service Cemeteries
Page 6
Ministry of Culture and Heritage (MCH) are responsible for maintaining and managing new memorialprojects including
War and historic gravesNational monumentsNational Memorial ParkResearchAdministration of legislation and grantsWriting and publication of New Zealand history and reference works
MCH look after monuments and Commonwealth War Graves There are 3400 of these in New ZealandThese are casualties from WW1 and WW2 who died after the conflicts These soldiers died before1923 and 1946 respectively Outside of this war graves are considered the responsibility of councilsand families Contact MCH (04) 499-4229
Commonwealth War Graves
Page 7
02 ENLISTING BUSINESSSUPPORT
Because individual clean up projects are centered on aparticular location it is quite often possible to get localbusinesses to support your project either in the form ofdonated supplies services money or volunteering Local RSA
Funeral Directors
Corporate Volunteers
Local Hardware Store
Who might be able tohelp
Page 8
Your Local RSAHopefully your local RSA will be keen to support you and your project You may be able to use themas an umbrella organisation to your project which can make it easier to receive funding too Oftenmembers of the RSA are wanting to get involved and as such can be used as part of a volunteerteam to assist with the restoration work Funeral DirectorsLocal funeral directors can be very supportive of the restoration efforts and can often provideexcellent discounted services They can be particularly helpful if the cemetery you are restoring hasheadstones with lead lettering as these need to be professionally restored They can also providestone poppies or replacement plaques
Corporate VolunteersMany corporate organisations provide their staff with paid volunteer days (eg Z Energy) considerapproaching organisations such as these in order to promote your project and gain additionalvolunteer support for restoration efforts Local Hardware StoreThere are a few cleaning supplies which are needed Approaching your local hardware store with astory of what you are doing might help you obtain some of these supplies at a discounted rate oreven for free
Page 9
04 GETTING YOURTEAM TOGETHER
You do not need tons of people and can realisticallyget away with just a couple of keen individuals whoare passionate All too often these projects arenever started because a committee have overcomplicated it If itrsquos only two or three of you at thisstage then just get on with it Others will come onboard once you get started
Simon Strombom amp Melanie Macdonald of the Titahi Bay RSA
Page 10
Itrsquos a good idea to enlist the help of a localhistorian who is willing to take the time toinvestigate the individuals you come across The stories that emerge will give you and yourfollowers inspiration and motivation during thisjourney Undoubtedly they will help you uncoverhidden gems of local history and guide youthroughout your project The stories will give depth to your project and willcapture the attention of local and possibly evennational media
Engaging an historian with yourproject
Allan Dodson - Porirua War Storieswwwporiruawarstoriescom
Page 11
05 NOTIFYING THECOMMUNITY AND RELATIVES
Arrange a meeting with council and see ifthey have any interest in supporting yourproject Some councils will ignore you whileothers may come to the party and getinvolved If the plan is pitched as a part of theRSA National Graves Project you might besurprised You are at least letting them knowwhat you are up to When media get onboard its likely your local mayor orCouncillors will jump at the chance to supportthe good work you are doing
Meet with local council staff
Porirua Mayor Mike Tana and City Councillors
Page 12
Finding relatives can be a challenge Often extended family have long since moved out of the districtYou do have a responsibility to at least try and let people know you are going to work on cleaning upsome graves At best you will get some support At worst no-one responds in which case wesuggest you do it anyway
Finding relatives
Social media can be a useful tool to use whentrying to track down family members Oftenposting on local RSA pages or localcommunity groups can assist in getting theword out when seeking family members
Local newspapers may publish stories andarticles about your project which can help younotify the public and find family members orrelatives
Social media Local media
Page 13
06 IDENTIFYING amp RESTORINGGRAVES
There are a range of different types of graves that require various cleaning or restoration methods
Granite Military Grave with GranitePlaque for Wife
Bronze Plaque and ConcreteMilitary Grave
Granite Memorial Cenotaph Parents Marble Grave with Lead Letteringand Granite Plaque for Serving Child
Page 14
Spray with Bio-Shield Its a good idea to do one visit where you just identify thegraves spray them and make a plan for what graves you will focus on first
General cleaning for all grave types
Step 1
Scrub using a bucket of water and a stiff bristled brush Step 2
Page 15
After spraying and cleaning Using awhite water based enamel paint anda 2mm paint brush paint over theexisting lettering and leave for10 mins to dry
Granite graves includingcenotaphs
Step 1
Using a light razor blade scraperremove the excess dry paint
Step 2
Using cuttlefish bone from pet shopclean up detail around the letteringand emblem
Step 3
Page 16
Painting Graves Video
httpswwwyoutubecomwatchv=VkQP6Kr2-SY
Page 17
Marble graves may need several spray andscrub sessions using Bio-Shield It is normal forthe marble to turn pink or brown as the lichendies Eventually the Marble will go white Its worth trying to get a stone mason to also bea sponsor for your project Their services will berequired to repair any lead lettering that isbroken
Marble Graves
Page 18
Clean the bronze plaque byscrubbing it with water and amedium textured scrubbing brush
Bronze Plaques
Step 1
Make a paste from white vinegar (1cup) and table salt (⅛ of a cup) anduse flour to bind the ingredients andcreate the paste It should bethe consistency of slightly runnypeanut butter
Step 2
Apply the paste to the bronze plaquewith a paintbrush and leave for 2-3hours You will notice that the pasteturns green as it extracts the patinaAvoid letting the paste becomecompletely dry as it is difficult toremove when this happens
Step 3
Remove the paste using papertowels and scrub clean Washwith water and a medium texturedscrubbing brush
Step 4
Step 5 Repeat steps 2-4 three or four timesuntil the bronze is restored back toits original bronze colour
Page 19
After cleaning the bronze sand withP220 wet and dry sandpaper Step 6
Once the bronze lettering andborders have been sanded paint inthe surface of the bronze usinga jet black leather dye (found in mostshoe repair shops)
Step 7
Spray bronze with a clear lacquerfinish spray that is suitable forcopper bronze and similar alloys
Step 10
When spray has dried repeat step10 a couple more times to provide agood protective layer
Step 11
Step 12 Wax the bronze plaque using a softbrush to apply the wax and a softcloth to polish it Recommendedyou use a polish wax that containscarnauba wax
When dye has dried repeat step 7until the desired colour has beenreached It should take 2-3 coats forthis to occur
Step 8
Sand the bronze lettering once moreto ensure it retains its bronze shineand remove any dye that may havecovered the lettering or borders
Step 9
Page 20
Bronze Restoration Video
httpsyoutube1cz8HkTxvgo
Page 21
Tools and Materials
Carnauba wax 220 grit sandpaper Leather dye Lacquer Bucket soft cloth paper towelsscrubbing brush
Razor blade Various paint brushes Cuttlefish bone Enamel paint
Page 22
07 KEEPING TRACK ANDRECORDING EVIDENCE
Keeping track of what you have done helps you easily share your progress and evidence withothers and protects you if anybody is concerned about any damage made to a headstone
Smaller Cemeteries If you are only working with a small cemetery and 5-6 graves then we recommend recording thecemetery and number of graves completed as well as taking simple before and after photos (If you aresocially savvy these can be posted on the NZ Remembrance Army Facebook page)
Page 23
Larger Cemeteries
If you are working with a town or city cemetery with more than 15 service graves you will need to bemore methodical and planned in your process These sites are likely to take multiple days and keepingtrack of progress is important We recommend obtaining a site map from the council and setting up aspreadsheet register and recording your plan and progress as you go Your register should include fields such as plot number name service number rank served where general notes cleaned YN photo YN type(bronze granite etc)
Archway - NZ Archives Portal (wwwarchwayarchivesgovtnz) is a great place to find servicedetails of WW1 Veterans
Page 24
08 MEDIA amp TOURS
Letting the local media know about your project can be useful for spreading the message further to reachfamily or relatives Media exposure can also help you engage other volunteers dignitaries and corporatesupport
We recommend getting started with the cleaning first and when you have some good photos and a fewstories contact your local newspaper and tell them what you are doing The National Graves Project falls under the activities of the NZ Remembrance Army which is a newlyestablished group with a focus on protecting NZs Military Heritage The NZ Remembrance Army issupported by the RSA and other veteran organisations Local ToursIf you do engage a local historian researcher running a local tour on a significant day like Anzac orArmistice day can really help engage your community in your project
Page 25
09 MORE HELP ANDINFORMATION
This project has been sponsored by Bio-Shield who providethe highest quality product which has delivered outstandingresults for volunteers cleaning concrete and headstones To apply for your free Bio-Shield please complete theonline form here
Contact RNZRSAenquiriesrsaorgnz04 384 7994
wwwrsaorgnzapplication-bio-shield
We recommend you follow and share the NZ RemembranceArmy facebook page and let others know about your plansand progress This will help inspire others and help ensuregroups in the same district can work together Page 26
10 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This guide was developed by the RNZRSA with the help of a few key people who saw an opportunityto take action and make a difference The RNZRSA would like to specifically acknowledge thepioneering volunteer efforts and vision of Former Army Major - Simon Strombom Bronze Plaque Extraordinaire - Melanie Macdonald Porirua Historian - Allan Dodson of Porirua War Stories Your efforts will inspire many
Page 27
Ministry of Culture and Heritage (MCH) are responsible for maintaining and managing new memorialprojects including
War and historic gravesNational monumentsNational Memorial ParkResearchAdministration of legislation and grantsWriting and publication of New Zealand history and reference works
MCH look after monuments and Commonwealth War Graves There are 3400 of these in New ZealandThese are casualties from WW1 and WW2 who died after the conflicts These soldiers died before1923 and 1946 respectively Outside of this war graves are considered the responsibility of councilsand families Contact MCH (04) 499-4229
Commonwealth War Graves
Page 7
02 ENLISTING BUSINESSSUPPORT
Because individual clean up projects are centered on aparticular location it is quite often possible to get localbusinesses to support your project either in the form ofdonated supplies services money or volunteering Local RSA
Funeral Directors
Corporate Volunteers
Local Hardware Store
Who might be able tohelp
Page 8
Your Local RSAHopefully your local RSA will be keen to support you and your project You may be able to use themas an umbrella organisation to your project which can make it easier to receive funding too Oftenmembers of the RSA are wanting to get involved and as such can be used as part of a volunteerteam to assist with the restoration work Funeral DirectorsLocal funeral directors can be very supportive of the restoration efforts and can often provideexcellent discounted services They can be particularly helpful if the cemetery you are restoring hasheadstones with lead lettering as these need to be professionally restored They can also providestone poppies or replacement plaques
Corporate VolunteersMany corporate organisations provide their staff with paid volunteer days (eg Z Energy) considerapproaching organisations such as these in order to promote your project and gain additionalvolunteer support for restoration efforts Local Hardware StoreThere are a few cleaning supplies which are needed Approaching your local hardware store with astory of what you are doing might help you obtain some of these supplies at a discounted rate oreven for free
Page 9
04 GETTING YOURTEAM TOGETHER
You do not need tons of people and can realisticallyget away with just a couple of keen individuals whoare passionate All too often these projects arenever started because a committee have overcomplicated it If itrsquos only two or three of you at thisstage then just get on with it Others will come onboard once you get started
Simon Strombom amp Melanie Macdonald of the Titahi Bay RSA
Page 10
Itrsquos a good idea to enlist the help of a localhistorian who is willing to take the time toinvestigate the individuals you come across The stories that emerge will give you and yourfollowers inspiration and motivation during thisjourney Undoubtedly they will help you uncoverhidden gems of local history and guide youthroughout your project The stories will give depth to your project and willcapture the attention of local and possibly evennational media
Engaging an historian with yourproject
Allan Dodson - Porirua War Storieswwwporiruawarstoriescom
Page 11
05 NOTIFYING THECOMMUNITY AND RELATIVES
Arrange a meeting with council and see ifthey have any interest in supporting yourproject Some councils will ignore you whileothers may come to the party and getinvolved If the plan is pitched as a part of theRSA National Graves Project you might besurprised You are at least letting them knowwhat you are up to When media get onboard its likely your local mayor orCouncillors will jump at the chance to supportthe good work you are doing
Meet with local council staff
Porirua Mayor Mike Tana and City Councillors
Page 12
Finding relatives can be a challenge Often extended family have long since moved out of the districtYou do have a responsibility to at least try and let people know you are going to work on cleaning upsome graves At best you will get some support At worst no-one responds in which case wesuggest you do it anyway
Finding relatives
Social media can be a useful tool to use whentrying to track down family members Oftenposting on local RSA pages or localcommunity groups can assist in getting theword out when seeking family members
Local newspapers may publish stories andarticles about your project which can help younotify the public and find family members orrelatives
Social media Local media
Page 13
06 IDENTIFYING amp RESTORINGGRAVES
There are a range of different types of graves that require various cleaning or restoration methods
Granite Military Grave with GranitePlaque for Wife
Bronze Plaque and ConcreteMilitary Grave
Granite Memorial Cenotaph Parents Marble Grave with Lead Letteringand Granite Plaque for Serving Child
Page 14
Spray with Bio-Shield Its a good idea to do one visit where you just identify thegraves spray them and make a plan for what graves you will focus on first
General cleaning for all grave types
Step 1
Scrub using a bucket of water and a stiff bristled brush Step 2
Page 15
After spraying and cleaning Using awhite water based enamel paint anda 2mm paint brush paint over theexisting lettering and leave for10 mins to dry
Granite graves includingcenotaphs
Step 1
Using a light razor blade scraperremove the excess dry paint
Step 2
Using cuttlefish bone from pet shopclean up detail around the letteringand emblem
Step 3
Page 16
Painting Graves Video
httpswwwyoutubecomwatchv=VkQP6Kr2-SY
Page 17
Marble graves may need several spray andscrub sessions using Bio-Shield It is normal forthe marble to turn pink or brown as the lichendies Eventually the Marble will go white Its worth trying to get a stone mason to also bea sponsor for your project Their services will berequired to repair any lead lettering that isbroken
Marble Graves
Page 18
Clean the bronze plaque byscrubbing it with water and amedium textured scrubbing brush
Bronze Plaques
Step 1
Make a paste from white vinegar (1cup) and table salt (⅛ of a cup) anduse flour to bind the ingredients andcreate the paste It should bethe consistency of slightly runnypeanut butter
Step 2
Apply the paste to the bronze plaquewith a paintbrush and leave for 2-3hours You will notice that the pasteturns green as it extracts the patinaAvoid letting the paste becomecompletely dry as it is difficult toremove when this happens
Step 3
Remove the paste using papertowels and scrub clean Washwith water and a medium texturedscrubbing brush
Step 4
Step 5 Repeat steps 2-4 three or four timesuntil the bronze is restored back toits original bronze colour
Page 19
After cleaning the bronze sand withP220 wet and dry sandpaper Step 6
Once the bronze lettering andborders have been sanded paint inthe surface of the bronze usinga jet black leather dye (found in mostshoe repair shops)
Step 7
Spray bronze with a clear lacquerfinish spray that is suitable forcopper bronze and similar alloys
Step 10
When spray has dried repeat step10 a couple more times to provide agood protective layer
Step 11
Step 12 Wax the bronze plaque using a softbrush to apply the wax and a softcloth to polish it Recommendedyou use a polish wax that containscarnauba wax
When dye has dried repeat step 7until the desired colour has beenreached It should take 2-3 coats forthis to occur
Step 8
Sand the bronze lettering once moreto ensure it retains its bronze shineand remove any dye that may havecovered the lettering or borders
Step 9
Page 20
Bronze Restoration Video
httpsyoutube1cz8HkTxvgo
Page 21
Tools and Materials
Carnauba wax 220 grit sandpaper Leather dye Lacquer Bucket soft cloth paper towelsscrubbing brush
Razor blade Various paint brushes Cuttlefish bone Enamel paint
Page 22
07 KEEPING TRACK ANDRECORDING EVIDENCE
Keeping track of what you have done helps you easily share your progress and evidence withothers and protects you if anybody is concerned about any damage made to a headstone
Smaller Cemeteries If you are only working with a small cemetery and 5-6 graves then we recommend recording thecemetery and number of graves completed as well as taking simple before and after photos (If you aresocially savvy these can be posted on the NZ Remembrance Army Facebook page)
Page 23
Larger Cemeteries
If you are working with a town or city cemetery with more than 15 service graves you will need to bemore methodical and planned in your process These sites are likely to take multiple days and keepingtrack of progress is important We recommend obtaining a site map from the council and setting up aspreadsheet register and recording your plan and progress as you go Your register should include fields such as plot number name service number rank served where general notes cleaned YN photo YN type(bronze granite etc)
Archway - NZ Archives Portal (wwwarchwayarchivesgovtnz) is a great place to find servicedetails of WW1 Veterans
Page 24
08 MEDIA amp TOURS
Letting the local media know about your project can be useful for spreading the message further to reachfamily or relatives Media exposure can also help you engage other volunteers dignitaries and corporatesupport
We recommend getting started with the cleaning first and when you have some good photos and a fewstories contact your local newspaper and tell them what you are doing The National Graves Project falls under the activities of the NZ Remembrance Army which is a newlyestablished group with a focus on protecting NZs Military Heritage The NZ Remembrance Army issupported by the RSA and other veteran organisations Local ToursIf you do engage a local historian researcher running a local tour on a significant day like Anzac orArmistice day can really help engage your community in your project
Page 25
09 MORE HELP ANDINFORMATION
This project has been sponsored by Bio-Shield who providethe highest quality product which has delivered outstandingresults for volunteers cleaning concrete and headstones To apply for your free Bio-Shield please complete theonline form here
Contact RNZRSAenquiriesrsaorgnz04 384 7994
wwwrsaorgnzapplication-bio-shield
We recommend you follow and share the NZ RemembranceArmy facebook page and let others know about your plansand progress This will help inspire others and help ensuregroups in the same district can work together Page 26
10 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This guide was developed by the RNZRSA with the help of a few key people who saw an opportunityto take action and make a difference The RNZRSA would like to specifically acknowledge thepioneering volunteer efforts and vision of Former Army Major - Simon Strombom Bronze Plaque Extraordinaire - Melanie Macdonald Porirua Historian - Allan Dodson of Porirua War Stories Your efforts will inspire many
Page 27
02 ENLISTING BUSINESSSUPPORT
Because individual clean up projects are centered on aparticular location it is quite often possible to get localbusinesses to support your project either in the form ofdonated supplies services money or volunteering Local RSA
Funeral Directors
Corporate Volunteers
Local Hardware Store
Who might be able tohelp
Page 8
Your Local RSAHopefully your local RSA will be keen to support you and your project You may be able to use themas an umbrella organisation to your project which can make it easier to receive funding too Oftenmembers of the RSA are wanting to get involved and as such can be used as part of a volunteerteam to assist with the restoration work Funeral DirectorsLocal funeral directors can be very supportive of the restoration efforts and can often provideexcellent discounted services They can be particularly helpful if the cemetery you are restoring hasheadstones with lead lettering as these need to be professionally restored They can also providestone poppies or replacement plaques
Corporate VolunteersMany corporate organisations provide their staff with paid volunteer days (eg Z Energy) considerapproaching organisations such as these in order to promote your project and gain additionalvolunteer support for restoration efforts Local Hardware StoreThere are a few cleaning supplies which are needed Approaching your local hardware store with astory of what you are doing might help you obtain some of these supplies at a discounted rate oreven for free
Page 9
04 GETTING YOURTEAM TOGETHER
You do not need tons of people and can realisticallyget away with just a couple of keen individuals whoare passionate All too often these projects arenever started because a committee have overcomplicated it If itrsquos only two or three of you at thisstage then just get on with it Others will come onboard once you get started
Simon Strombom amp Melanie Macdonald of the Titahi Bay RSA
Page 10
Itrsquos a good idea to enlist the help of a localhistorian who is willing to take the time toinvestigate the individuals you come across The stories that emerge will give you and yourfollowers inspiration and motivation during thisjourney Undoubtedly they will help you uncoverhidden gems of local history and guide youthroughout your project The stories will give depth to your project and willcapture the attention of local and possibly evennational media
Engaging an historian with yourproject
Allan Dodson - Porirua War Storieswwwporiruawarstoriescom
Page 11
05 NOTIFYING THECOMMUNITY AND RELATIVES
Arrange a meeting with council and see ifthey have any interest in supporting yourproject Some councils will ignore you whileothers may come to the party and getinvolved If the plan is pitched as a part of theRSA National Graves Project you might besurprised You are at least letting them knowwhat you are up to When media get onboard its likely your local mayor orCouncillors will jump at the chance to supportthe good work you are doing
Meet with local council staff
Porirua Mayor Mike Tana and City Councillors
Page 12
Finding relatives can be a challenge Often extended family have long since moved out of the districtYou do have a responsibility to at least try and let people know you are going to work on cleaning upsome graves At best you will get some support At worst no-one responds in which case wesuggest you do it anyway
Finding relatives
Social media can be a useful tool to use whentrying to track down family members Oftenposting on local RSA pages or localcommunity groups can assist in getting theword out when seeking family members
Local newspapers may publish stories andarticles about your project which can help younotify the public and find family members orrelatives
Social media Local media
Page 13
06 IDENTIFYING amp RESTORINGGRAVES
There are a range of different types of graves that require various cleaning or restoration methods
Granite Military Grave with GranitePlaque for Wife
Bronze Plaque and ConcreteMilitary Grave
Granite Memorial Cenotaph Parents Marble Grave with Lead Letteringand Granite Plaque for Serving Child
Page 14
Spray with Bio-Shield Its a good idea to do one visit where you just identify thegraves spray them and make a plan for what graves you will focus on first
General cleaning for all grave types
Step 1
Scrub using a bucket of water and a stiff bristled brush Step 2
Page 15
After spraying and cleaning Using awhite water based enamel paint anda 2mm paint brush paint over theexisting lettering and leave for10 mins to dry
Granite graves includingcenotaphs
Step 1
Using a light razor blade scraperremove the excess dry paint
Step 2
Using cuttlefish bone from pet shopclean up detail around the letteringand emblem
Step 3
Page 16
Painting Graves Video
httpswwwyoutubecomwatchv=VkQP6Kr2-SY
Page 17
Marble graves may need several spray andscrub sessions using Bio-Shield It is normal forthe marble to turn pink or brown as the lichendies Eventually the Marble will go white Its worth trying to get a stone mason to also bea sponsor for your project Their services will berequired to repair any lead lettering that isbroken
Marble Graves
Page 18
Clean the bronze plaque byscrubbing it with water and amedium textured scrubbing brush
Bronze Plaques
Step 1
Make a paste from white vinegar (1cup) and table salt (⅛ of a cup) anduse flour to bind the ingredients andcreate the paste It should bethe consistency of slightly runnypeanut butter
Step 2
Apply the paste to the bronze plaquewith a paintbrush and leave for 2-3hours You will notice that the pasteturns green as it extracts the patinaAvoid letting the paste becomecompletely dry as it is difficult toremove when this happens
Step 3
Remove the paste using papertowels and scrub clean Washwith water and a medium texturedscrubbing brush
Step 4
Step 5 Repeat steps 2-4 three or four timesuntil the bronze is restored back toits original bronze colour
Page 19
After cleaning the bronze sand withP220 wet and dry sandpaper Step 6
Once the bronze lettering andborders have been sanded paint inthe surface of the bronze usinga jet black leather dye (found in mostshoe repair shops)
Step 7
Spray bronze with a clear lacquerfinish spray that is suitable forcopper bronze and similar alloys
Step 10
When spray has dried repeat step10 a couple more times to provide agood protective layer
Step 11
Step 12 Wax the bronze plaque using a softbrush to apply the wax and a softcloth to polish it Recommendedyou use a polish wax that containscarnauba wax
When dye has dried repeat step 7until the desired colour has beenreached It should take 2-3 coats forthis to occur
Step 8
Sand the bronze lettering once moreto ensure it retains its bronze shineand remove any dye that may havecovered the lettering or borders
Step 9
Page 20
Bronze Restoration Video
httpsyoutube1cz8HkTxvgo
Page 21
Tools and Materials
Carnauba wax 220 grit sandpaper Leather dye Lacquer Bucket soft cloth paper towelsscrubbing brush
Razor blade Various paint brushes Cuttlefish bone Enamel paint
Page 22
07 KEEPING TRACK ANDRECORDING EVIDENCE
Keeping track of what you have done helps you easily share your progress and evidence withothers and protects you if anybody is concerned about any damage made to a headstone
Smaller Cemeteries If you are only working with a small cemetery and 5-6 graves then we recommend recording thecemetery and number of graves completed as well as taking simple before and after photos (If you aresocially savvy these can be posted on the NZ Remembrance Army Facebook page)
Page 23
Larger Cemeteries
If you are working with a town or city cemetery with more than 15 service graves you will need to bemore methodical and planned in your process These sites are likely to take multiple days and keepingtrack of progress is important We recommend obtaining a site map from the council and setting up aspreadsheet register and recording your plan and progress as you go Your register should include fields such as plot number name service number rank served where general notes cleaned YN photo YN type(bronze granite etc)
Archway - NZ Archives Portal (wwwarchwayarchivesgovtnz) is a great place to find servicedetails of WW1 Veterans
Page 24
08 MEDIA amp TOURS
Letting the local media know about your project can be useful for spreading the message further to reachfamily or relatives Media exposure can also help you engage other volunteers dignitaries and corporatesupport
We recommend getting started with the cleaning first and when you have some good photos and a fewstories contact your local newspaper and tell them what you are doing The National Graves Project falls under the activities of the NZ Remembrance Army which is a newlyestablished group with a focus on protecting NZs Military Heritage The NZ Remembrance Army issupported by the RSA and other veteran organisations Local ToursIf you do engage a local historian researcher running a local tour on a significant day like Anzac orArmistice day can really help engage your community in your project
Page 25
09 MORE HELP ANDINFORMATION
This project has been sponsored by Bio-Shield who providethe highest quality product which has delivered outstandingresults for volunteers cleaning concrete and headstones To apply for your free Bio-Shield please complete theonline form here
Contact RNZRSAenquiriesrsaorgnz04 384 7994
wwwrsaorgnzapplication-bio-shield
We recommend you follow and share the NZ RemembranceArmy facebook page and let others know about your plansand progress This will help inspire others and help ensuregroups in the same district can work together Page 26
10 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This guide was developed by the RNZRSA with the help of a few key people who saw an opportunityto take action and make a difference The RNZRSA would like to specifically acknowledge thepioneering volunteer efforts and vision of Former Army Major - Simon Strombom Bronze Plaque Extraordinaire - Melanie Macdonald Porirua Historian - Allan Dodson of Porirua War Stories Your efforts will inspire many
Page 27
Your Local RSAHopefully your local RSA will be keen to support you and your project You may be able to use themas an umbrella organisation to your project which can make it easier to receive funding too Oftenmembers of the RSA are wanting to get involved and as such can be used as part of a volunteerteam to assist with the restoration work Funeral DirectorsLocal funeral directors can be very supportive of the restoration efforts and can often provideexcellent discounted services They can be particularly helpful if the cemetery you are restoring hasheadstones with lead lettering as these need to be professionally restored They can also providestone poppies or replacement plaques
Corporate VolunteersMany corporate organisations provide their staff with paid volunteer days (eg Z Energy) considerapproaching organisations such as these in order to promote your project and gain additionalvolunteer support for restoration efforts Local Hardware StoreThere are a few cleaning supplies which are needed Approaching your local hardware store with astory of what you are doing might help you obtain some of these supplies at a discounted rate oreven for free
Page 9
04 GETTING YOURTEAM TOGETHER
You do not need tons of people and can realisticallyget away with just a couple of keen individuals whoare passionate All too often these projects arenever started because a committee have overcomplicated it If itrsquos only two or three of you at thisstage then just get on with it Others will come onboard once you get started
Simon Strombom amp Melanie Macdonald of the Titahi Bay RSA
Page 10
Itrsquos a good idea to enlist the help of a localhistorian who is willing to take the time toinvestigate the individuals you come across The stories that emerge will give you and yourfollowers inspiration and motivation during thisjourney Undoubtedly they will help you uncoverhidden gems of local history and guide youthroughout your project The stories will give depth to your project and willcapture the attention of local and possibly evennational media
Engaging an historian with yourproject
Allan Dodson - Porirua War Storieswwwporiruawarstoriescom
Page 11
05 NOTIFYING THECOMMUNITY AND RELATIVES
Arrange a meeting with council and see ifthey have any interest in supporting yourproject Some councils will ignore you whileothers may come to the party and getinvolved If the plan is pitched as a part of theRSA National Graves Project you might besurprised You are at least letting them knowwhat you are up to When media get onboard its likely your local mayor orCouncillors will jump at the chance to supportthe good work you are doing
Meet with local council staff
Porirua Mayor Mike Tana and City Councillors
Page 12
Finding relatives can be a challenge Often extended family have long since moved out of the districtYou do have a responsibility to at least try and let people know you are going to work on cleaning upsome graves At best you will get some support At worst no-one responds in which case wesuggest you do it anyway
Finding relatives
Social media can be a useful tool to use whentrying to track down family members Oftenposting on local RSA pages or localcommunity groups can assist in getting theword out when seeking family members
Local newspapers may publish stories andarticles about your project which can help younotify the public and find family members orrelatives
Social media Local media
Page 13
06 IDENTIFYING amp RESTORINGGRAVES
There are a range of different types of graves that require various cleaning or restoration methods
Granite Military Grave with GranitePlaque for Wife
Bronze Plaque and ConcreteMilitary Grave
Granite Memorial Cenotaph Parents Marble Grave with Lead Letteringand Granite Plaque for Serving Child
Page 14
Spray with Bio-Shield Its a good idea to do one visit where you just identify thegraves spray them and make a plan for what graves you will focus on first
General cleaning for all grave types
Step 1
Scrub using a bucket of water and a stiff bristled brush Step 2
Page 15
After spraying and cleaning Using awhite water based enamel paint anda 2mm paint brush paint over theexisting lettering and leave for10 mins to dry
Granite graves includingcenotaphs
Step 1
Using a light razor blade scraperremove the excess dry paint
Step 2
Using cuttlefish bone from pet shopclean up detail around the letteringand emblem
Step 3
Page 16
Painting Graves Video
httpswwwyoutubecomwatchv=VkQP6Kr2-SY
Page 17
Marble graves may need several spray andscrub sessions using Bio-Shield It is normal forthe marble to turn pink or brown as the lichendies Eventually the Marble will go white Its worth trying to get a stone mason to also bea sponsor for your project Their services will berequired to repair any lead lettering that isbroken
Marble Graves
Page 18
Clean the bronze plaque byscrubbing it with water and amedium textured scrubbing brush
Bronze Plaques
Step 1
Make a paste from white vinegar (1cup) and table salt (⅛ of a cup) anduse flour to bind the ingredients andcreate the paste It should bethe consistency of slightly runnypeanut butter
Step 2
Apply the paste to the bronze plaquewith a paintbrush and leave for 2-3hours You will notice that the pasteturns green as it extracts the patinaAvoid letting the paste becomecompletely dry as it is difficult toremove when this happens
Step 3
Remove the paste using papertowels and scrub clean Washwith water and a medium texturedscrubbing brush
Step 4
Step 5 Repeat steps 2-4 three or four timesuntil the bronze is restored back toits original bronze colour
Page 19
After cleaning the bronze sand withP220 wet and dry sandpaper Step 6
Once the bronze lettering andborders have been sanded paint inthe surface of the bronze usinga jet black leather dye (found in mostshoe repair shops)
Step 7
Spray bronze with a clear lacquerfinish spray that is suitable forcopper bronze and similar alloys
Step 10
When spray has dried repeat step10 a couple more times to provide agood protective layer
Step 11
Step 12 Wax the bronze plaque using a softbrush to apply the wax and a softcloth to polish it Recommendedyou use a polish wax that containscarnauba wax
When dye has dried repeat step 7until the desired colour has beenreached It should take 2-3 coats forthis to occur
Step 8
Sand the bronze lettering once moreto ensure it retains its bronze shineand remove any dye that may havecovered the lettering or borders
Step 9
Page 20
Bronze Restoration Video
httpsyoutube1cz8HkTxvgo
Page 21
Tools and Materials
Carnauba wax 220 grit sandpaper Leather dye Lacquer Bucket soft cloth paper towelsscrubbing brush
Razor blade Various paint brushes Cuttlefish bone Enamel paint
Page 22
07 KEEPING TRACK ANDRECORDING EVIDENCE
Keeping track of what you have done helps you easily share your progress and evidence withothers and protects you if anybody is concerned about any damage made to a headstone
Smaller Cemeteries If you are only working with a small cemetery and 5-6 graves then we recommend recording thecemetery and number of graves completed as well as taking simple before and after photos (If you aresocially savvy these can be posted on the NZ Remembrance Army Facebook page)
Page 23
Larger Cemeteries
If you are working with a town or city cemetery with more than 15 service graves you will need to bemore methodical and planned in your process These sites are likely to take multiple days and keepingtrack of progress is important We recommend obtaining a site map from the council and setting up aspreadsheet register and recording your plan and progress as you go Your register should include fields such as plot number name service number rank served where general notes cleaned YN photo YN type(bronze granite etc)
Archway - NZ Archives Portal (wwwarchwayarchivesgovtnz) is a great place to find servicedetails of WW1 Veterans
Page 24
08 MEDIA amp TOURS
Letting the local media know about your project can be useful for spreading the message further to reachfamily or relatives Media exposure can also help you engage other volunteers dignitaries and corporatesupport
We recommend getting started with the cleaning first and when you have some good photos and a fewstories contact your local newspaper and tell them what you are doing The National Graves Project falls under the activities of the NZ Remembrance Army which is a newlyestablished group with a focus on protecting NZs Military Heritage The NZ Remembrance Army issupported by the RSA and other veteran organisations Local ToursIf you do engage a local historian researcher running a local tour on a significant day like Anzac orArmistice day can really help engage your community in your project
Page 25
09 MORE HELP ANDINFORMATION
This project has been sponsored by Bio-Shield who providethe highest quality product which has delivered outstandingresults for volunteers cleaning concrete and headstones To apply for your free Bio-Shield please complete theonline form here
Contact RNZRSAenquiriesrsaorgnz04 384 7994
wwwrsaorgnzapplication-bio-shield
We recommend you follow and share the NZ RemembranceArmy facebook page and let others know about your plansand progress This will help inspire others and help ensuregroups in the same district can work together Page 26
10 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This guide was developed by the RNZRSA with the help of a few key people who saw an opportunityto take action and make a difference The RNZRSA would like to specifically acknowledge thepioneering volunteer efforts and vision of Former Army Major - Simon Strombom Bronze Plaque Extraordinaire - Melanie Macdonald Porirua Historian - Allan Dodson of Porirua War Stories Your efforts will inspire many
Page 27
04 GETTING YOURTEAM TOGETHER
You do not need tons of people and can realisticallyget away with just a couple of keen individuals whoare passionate All too often these projects arenever started because a committee have overcomplicated it If itrsquos only two or three of you at thisstage then just get on with it Others will come onboard once you get started
Simon Strombom amp Melanie Macdonald of the Titahi Bay RSA
Page 10
Itrsquos a good idea to enlist the help of a localhistorian who is willing to take the time toinvestigate the individuals you come across The stories that emerge will give you and yourfollowers inspiration and motivation during thisjourney Undoubtedly they will help you uncoverhidden gems of local history and guide youthroughout your project The stories will give depth to your project and willcapture the attention of local and possibly evennational media
Engaging an historian with yourproject
Allan Dodson - Porirua War Storieswwwporiruawarstoriescom
Page 11
05 NOTIFYING THECOMMUNITY AND RELATIVES
Arrange a meeting with council and see ifthey have any interest in supporting yourproject Some councils will ignore you whileothers may come to the party and getinvolved If the plan is pitched as a part of theRSA National Graves Project you might besurprised You are at least letting them knowwhat you are up to When media get onboard its likely your local mayor orCouncillors will jump at the chance to supportthe good work you are doing
Meet with local council staff
Porirua Mayor Mike Tana and City Councillors
Page 12
Finding relatives can be a challenge Often extended family have long since moved out of the districtYou do have a responsibility to at least try and let people know you are going to work on cleaning upsome graves At best you will get some support At worst no-one responds in which case wesuggest you do it anyway
Finding relatives
Social media can be a useful tool to use whentrying to track down family members Oftenposting on local RSA pages or localcommunity groups can assist in getting theword out when seeking family members
Local newspapers may publish stories andarticles about your project which can help younotify the public and find family members orrelatives
Social media Local media
Page 13
06 IDENTIFYING amp RESTORINGGRAVES
There are a range of different types of graves that require various cleaning or restoration methods
Granite Military Grave with GranitePlaque for Wife
Bronze Plaque and ConcreteMilitary Grave
Granite Memorial Cenotaph Parents Marble Grave with Lead Letteringand Granite Plaque for Serving Child
Page 14
Spray with Bio-Shield Its a good idea to do one visit where you just identify thegraves spray them and make a plan for what graves you will focus on first
General cleaning for all grave types
Step 1
Scrub using a bucket of water and a stiff bristled brush Step 2
Page 15
After spraying and cleaning Using awhite water based enamel paint anda 2mm paint brush paint over theexisting lettering and leave for10 mins to dry
Granite graves includingcenotaphs
Step 1
Using a light razor blade scraperremove the excess dry paint
Step 2
Using cuttlefish bone from pet shopclean up detail around the letteringand emblem
Step 3
Page 16
Painting Graves Video
httpswwwyoutubecomwatchv=VkQP6Kr2-SY
Page 17
Marble graves may need several spray andscrub sessions using Bio-Shield It is normal forthe marble to turn pink or brown as the lichendies Eventually the Marble will go white Its worth trying to get a stone mason to also bea sponsor for your project Their services will berequired to repair any lead lettering that isbroken
Marble Graves
Page 18
Clean the bronze plaque byscrubbing it with water and amedium textured scrubbing brush
Bronze Plaques
Step 1
Make a paste from white vinegar (1cup) and table salt (⅛ of a cup) anduse flour to bind the ingredients andcreate the paste It should bethe consistency of slightly runnypeanut butter
Step 2
Apply the paste to the bronze plaquewith a paintbrush and leave for 2-3hours You will notice that the pasteturns green as it extracts the patinaAvoid letting the paste becomecompletely dry as it is difficult toremove when this happens
Step 3
Remove the paste using papertowels and scrub clean Washwith water and a medium texturedscrubbing brush
Step 4
Step 5 Repeat steps 2-4 three or four timesuntil the bronze is restored back toits original bronze colour
Page 19
After cleaning the bronze sand withP220 wet and dry sandpaper Step 6
Once the bronze lettering andborders have been sanded paint inthe surface of the bronze usinga jet black leather dye (found in mostshoe repair shops)
Step 7
Spray bronze with a clear lacquerfinish spray that is suitable forcopper bronze and similar alloys
Step 10
When spray has dried repeat step10 a couple more times to provide agood protective layer
Step 11
Step 12 Wax the bronze plaque using a softbrush to apply the wax and a softcloth to polish it Recommendedyou use a polish wax that containscarnauba wax
When dye has dried repeat step 7until the desired colour has beenreached It should take 2-3 coats forthis to occur
Step 8
Sand the bronze lettering once moreto ensure it retains its bronze shineand remove any dye that may havecovered the lettering or borders
Step 9
Page 20
Bronze Restoration Video
httpsyoutube1cz8HkTxvgo
Page 21
Tools and Materials
Carnauba wax 220 grit sandpaper Leather dye Lacquer Bucket soft cloth paper towelsscrubbing brush
Razor blade Various paint brushes Cuttlefish bone Enamel paint
Page 22
07 KEEPING TRACK ANDRECORDING EVIDENCE
Keeping track of what you have done helps you easily share your progress and evidence withothers and protects you if anybody is concerned about any damage made to a headstone
Smaller Cemeteries If you are only working with a small cemetery and 5-6 graves then we recommend recording thecemetery and number of graves completed as well as taking simple before and after photos (If you aresocially savvy these can be posted on the NZ Remembrance Army Facebook page)
Page 23
Larger Cemeteries
If you are working with a town or city cemetery with more than 15 service graves you will need to bemore methodical and planned in your process These sites are likely to take multiple days and keepingtrack of progress is important We recommend obtaining a site map from the council and setting up aspreadsheet register and recording your plan and progress as you go Your register should include fields such as plot number name service number rank served where general notes cleaned YN photo YN type(bronze granite etc)
Archway - NZ Archives Portal (wwwarchwayarchivesgovtnz) is a great place to find servicedetails of WW1 Veterans
Page 24
08 MEDIA amp TOURS
Letting the local media know about your project can be useful for spreading the message further to reachfamily or relatives Media exposure can also help you engage other volunteers dignitaries and corporatesupport
We recommend getting started with the cleaning first and when you have some good photos and a fewstories contact your local newspaper and tell them what you are doing The National Graves Project falls under the activities of the NZ Remembrance Army which is a newlyestablished group with a focus on protecting NZs Military Heritage The NZ Remembrance Army issupported by the RSA and other veteran organisations Local ToursIf you do engage a local historian researcher running a local tour on a significant day like Anzac orArmistice day can really help engage your community in your project
Page 25
09 MORE HELP ANDINFORMATION
This project has been sponsored by Bio-Shield who providethe highest quality product which has delivered outstandingresults for volunteers cleaning concrete and headstones To apply for your free Bio-Shield please complete theonline form here
Contact RNZRSAenquiriesrsaorgnz04 384 7994
wwwrsaorgnzapplication-bio-shield
We recommend you follow and share the NZ RemembranceArmy facebook page and let others know about your plansand progress This will help inspire others and help ensuregroups in the same district can work together Page 26
10 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This guide was developed by the RNZRSA with the help of a few key people who saw an opportunityto take action and make a difference The RNZRSA would like to specifically acknowledge thepioneering volunteer efforts and vision of Former Army Major - Simon Strombom Bronze Plaque Extraordinaire - Melanie Macdonald Porirua Historian - Allan Dodson of Porirua War Stories Your efforts will inspire many
Page 27
Itrsquos a good idea to enlist the help of a localhistorian who is willing to take the time toinvestigate the individuals you come across The stories that emerge will give you and yourfollowers inspiration and motivation during thisjourney Undoubtedly they will help you uncoverhidden gems of local history and guide youthroughout your project The stories will give depth to your project and willcapture the attention of local and possibly evennational media
Engaging an historian with yourproject
Allan Dodson - Porirua War Storieswwwporiruawarstoriescom
Page 11
05 NOTIFYING THECOMMUNITY AND RELATIVES
Arrange a meeting with council and see ifthey have any interest in supporting yourproject Some councils will ignore you whileothers may come to the party and getinvolved If the plan is pitched as a part of theRSA National Graves Project you might besurprised You are at least letting them knowwhat you are up to When media get onboard its likely your local mayor orCouncillors will jump at the chance to supportthe good work you are doing
Meet with local council staff
Porirua Mayor Mike Tana and City Councillors
Page 12
Finding relatives can be a challenge Often extended family have long since moved out of the districtYou do have a responsibility to at least try and let people know you are going to work on cleaning upsome graves At best you will get some support At worst no-one responds in which case wesuggest you do it anyway
Finding relatives
Social media can be a useful tool to use whentrying to track down family members Oftenposting on local RSA pages or localcommunity groups can assist in getting theword out when seeking family members
Local newspapers may publish stories andarticles about your project which can help younotify the public and find family members orrelatives
Social media Local media
Page 13
06 IDENTIFYING amp RESTORINGGRAVES
There are a range of different types of graves that require various cleaning or restoration methods
Granite Military Grave with GranitePlaque for Wife
Bronze Plaque and ConcreteMilitary Grave
Granite Memorial Cenotaph Parents Marble Grave with Lead Letteringand Granite Plaque for Serving Child
Page 14
Spray with Bio-Shield Its a good idea to do one visit where you just identify thegraves spray them and make a plan for what graves you will focus on first
General cleaning for all grave types
Step 1
Scrub using a bucket of water and a stiff bristled brush Step 2
Page 15
After spraying and cleaning Using awhite water based enamel paint anda 2mm paint brush paint over theexisting lettering and leave for10 mins to dry
Granite graves includingcenotaphs
Step 1
Using a light razor blade scraperremove the excess dry paint
Step 2
Using cuttlefish bone from pet shopclean up detail around the letteringand emblem
Step 3
Page 16
Painting Graves Video
httpswwwyoutubecomwatchv=VkQP6Kr2-SY
Page 17
Marble graves may need several spray andscrub sessions using Bio-Shield It is normal forthe marble to turn pink or brown as the lichendies Eventually the Marble will go white Its worth trying to get a stone mason to also bea sponsor for your project Their services will berequired to repair any lead lettering that isbroken
Marble Graves
Page 18
Clean the bronze plaque byscrubbing it with water and amedium textured scrubbing brush
Bronze Plaques
Step 1
Make a paste from white vinegar (1cup) and table salt (⅛ of a cup) anduse flour to bind the ingredients andcreate the paste It should bethe consistency of slightly runnypeanut butter
Step 2
Apply the paste to the bronze plaquewith a paintbrush and leave for 2-3hours You will notice that the pasteturns green as it extracts the patinaAvoid letting the paste becomecompletely dry as it is difficult toremove when this happens
Step 3
Remove the paste using papertowels and scrub clean Washwith water and a medium texturedscrubbing brush
Step 4
Step 5 Repeat steps 2-4 three or four timesuntil the bronze is restored back toits original bronze colour
Page 19
After cleaning the bronze sand withP220 wet and dry sandpaper Step 6
Once the bronze lettering andborders have been sanded paint inthe surface of the bronze usinga jet black leather dye (found in mostshoe repair shops)
Step 7
Spray bronze with a clear lacquerfinish spray that is suitable forcopper bronze and similar alloys
Step 10
When spray has dried repeat step10 a couple more times to provide agood protective layer
Step 11
Step 12 Wax the bronze plaque using a softbrush to apply the wax and a softcloth to polish it Recommendedyou use a polish wax that containscarnauba wax
When dye has dried repeat step 7until the desired colour has beenreached It should take 2-3 coats forthis to occur
Step 8
Sand the bronze lettering once moreto ensure it retains its bronze shineand remove any dye that may havecovered the lettering or borders
Step 9
Page 20
Bronze Restoration Video
httpsyoutube1cz8HkTxvgo
Page 21
Tools and Materials
Carnauba wax 220 grit sandpaper Leather dye Lacquer Bucket soft cloth paper towelsscrubbing brush
Razor blade Various paint brushes Cuttlefish bone Enamel paint
Page 22
07 KEEPING TRACK ANDRECORDING EVIDENCE
Keeping track of what you have done helps you easily share your progress and evidence withothers and protects you if anybody is concerned about any damage made to a headstone
Smaller Cemeteries If you are only working with a small cemetery and 5-6 graves then we recommend recording thecemetery and number of graves completed as well as taking simple before and after photos (If you aresocially savvy these can be posted on the NZ Remembrance Army Facebook page)
Page 23
Larger Cemeteries
If you are working with a town or city cemetery with more than 15 service graves you will need to bemore methodical and planned in your process These sites are likely to take multiple days and keepingtrack of progress is important We recommend obtaining a site map from the council and setting up aspreadsheet register and recording your plan and progress as you go Your register should include fields such as plot number name service number rank served where general notes cleaned YN photo YN type(bronze granite etc)
Archway - NZ Archives Portal (wwwarchwayarchivesgovtnz) is a great place to find servicedetails of WW1 Veterans
Page 24
08 MEDIA amp TOURS
Letting the local media know about your project can be useful for spreading the message further to reachfamily or relatives Media exposure can also help you engage other volunteers dignitaries and corporatesupport
We recommend getting started with the cleaning first and when you have some good photos and a fewstories contact your local newspaper and tell them what you are doing The National Graves Project falls under the activities of the NZ Remembrance Army which is a newlyestablished group with a focus on protecting NZs Military Heritage The NZ Remembrance Army issupported by the RSA and other veteran organisations Local ToursIf you do engage a local historian researcher running a local tour on a significant day like Anzac orArmistice day can really help engage your community in your project
Page 25
09 MORE HELP ANDINFORMATION
This project has been sponsored by Bio-Shield who providethe highest quality product which has delivered outstandingresults for volunteers cleaning concrete and headstones To apply for your free Bio-Shield please complete theonline form here
Contact RNZRSAenquiriesrsaorgnz04 384 7994
wwwrsaorgnzapplication-bio-shield
We recommend you follow and share the NZ RemembranceArmy facebook page and let others know about your plansand progress This will help inspire others and help ensuregroups in the same district can work together Page 26
10 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This guide was developed by the RNZRSA with the help of a few key people who saw an opportunityto take action and make a difference The RNZRSA would like to specifically acknowledge thepioneering volunteer efforts and vision of Former Army Major - Simon Strombom Bronze Plaque Extraordinaire - Melanie Macdonald Porirua Historian - Allan Dodson of Porirua War Stories Your efforts will inspire many
Page 27
05 NOTIFYING THECOMMUNITY AND RELATIVES
Arrange a meeting with council and see ifthey have any interest in supporting yourproject Some councils will ignore you whileothers may come to the party and getinvolved If the plan is pitched as a part of theRSA National Graves Project you might besurprised You are at least letting them knowwhat you are up to When media get onboard its likely your local mayor orCouncillors will jump at the chance to supportthe good work you are doing
Meet with local council staff
Porirua Mayor Mike Tana and City Councillors
Page 12
Finding relatives can be a challenge Often extended family have long since moved out of the districtYou do have a responsibility to at least try and let people know you are going to work on cleaning upsome graves At best you will get some support At worst no-one responds in which case wesuggest you do it anyway
Finding relatives
Social media can be a useful tool to use whentrying to track down family members Oftenposting on local RSA pages or localcommunity groups can assist in getting theword out when seeking family members
Local newspapers may publish stories andarticles about your project which can help younotify the public and find family members orrelatives
Social media Local media
Page 13
06 IDENTIFYING amp RESTORINGGRAVES
There are a range of different types of graves that require various cleaning or restoration methods
Granite Military Grave with GranitePlaque for Wife
Bronze Plaque and ConcreteMilitary Grave
Granite Memorial Cenotaph Parents Marble Grave with Lead Letteringand Granite Plaque for Serving Child
Page 14
Spray with Bio-Shield Its a good idea to do one visit where you just identify thegraves spray them and make a plan for what graves you will focus on first
General cleaning for all grave types
Step 1
Scrub using a bucket of water and a stiff bristled brush Step 2
Page 15
After spraying and cleaning Using awhite water based enamel paint anda 2mm paint brush paint over theexisting lettering and leave for10 mins to dry
Granite graves includingcenotaphs
Step 1
Using a light razor blade scraperremove the excess dry paint
Step 2
Using cuttlefish bone from pet shopclean up detail around the letteringand emblem
Step 3
Page 16
Painting Graves Video
httpswwwyoutubecomwatchv=VkQP6Kr2-SY
Page 17
Marble graves may need several spray andscrub sessions using Bio-Shield It is normal forthe marble to turn pink or brown as the lichendies Eventually the Marble will go white Its worth trying to get a stone mason to also bea sponsor for your project Their services will berequired to repair any lead lettering that isbroken
Marble Graves
Page 18
Clean the bronze plaque byscrubbing it with water and amedium textured scrubbing brush
Bronze Plaques
Step 1
Make a paste from white vinegar (1cup) and table salt (⅛ of a cup) anduse flour to bind the ingredients andcreate the paste It should bethe consistency of slightly runnypeanut butter
Step 2
Apply the paste to the bronze plaquewith a paintbrush and leave for 2-3hours You will notice that the pasteturns green as it extracts the patinaAvoid letting the paste becomecompletely dry as it is difficult toremove when this happens
Step 3
Remove the paste using papertowels and scrub clean Washwith water and a medium texturedscrubbing brush
Step 4
Step 5 Repeat steps 2-4 three or four timesuntil the bronze is restored back toits original bronze colour
Page 19
After cleaning the bronze sand withP220 wet and dry sandpaper Step 6
Once the bronze lettering andborders have been sanded paint inthe surface of the bronze usinga jet black leather dye (found in mostshoe repair shops)
Step 7
Spray bronze with a clear lacquerfinish spray that is suitable forcopper bronze and similar alloys
Step 10
When spray has dried repeat step10 a couple more times to provide agood protective layer
Step 11
Step 12 Wax the bronze plaque using a softbrush to apply the wax and a softcloth to polish it Recommendedyou use a polish wax that containscarnauba wax
When dye has dried repeat step 7until the desired colour has beenreached It should take 2-3 coats forthis to occur
Step 8
Sand the bronze lettering once moreto ensure it retains its bronze shineand remove any dye that may havecovered the lettering or borders
Step 9
Page 20
Bronze Restoration Video
httpsyoutube1cz8HkTxvgo
Page 21
Tools and Materials
Carnauba wax 220 grit sandpaper Leather dye Lacquer Bucket soft cloth paper towelsscrubbing brush
Razor blade Various paint brushes Cuttlefish bone Enamel paint
Page 22
07 KEEPING TRACK ANDRECORDING EVIDENCE
Keeping track of what you have done helps you easily share your progress and evidence withothers and protects you if anybody is concerned about any damage made to a headstone
Smaller Cemeteries If you are only working with a small cemetery and 5-6 graves then we recommend recording thecemetery and number of graves completed as well as taking simple before and after photos (If you aresocially savvy these can be posted on the NZ Remembrance Army Facebook page)
Page 23
Larger Cemeteries
If you are working with a town or city cemetery with more than 15 service graves you will need to bemore methodical and planned in your process These sites are likely to take multiple days and keepingtrack of progress is important We recommend obtaining a site map from the council and setting up aspreadsheet register and recording your plan and progress as you go Your register should include fields such as plot number name service number rank served where general notes cleaned YN photo YN type(bronze granite etc)
Archway - NZ Archives Portal (wwwarchwayarchivesgovtnz) is a great place to find servicedetails of WW1 Veterans
Page 24
08 MEDIA amp TOURS
Letting the local media know about your project can be useful for spreading the message further to reachfamily or relatives Media exposure can also help you engage other volunteers dignitaries and corporatesupport
We recommend getting started with the cleaning first and when you have some good photos and a fewstories contact your local newspaper and tell them what you are doing The National Graves Project falls under the activities of the NZ Remembrance Army which is a newlyestablished group with a focus on protecting NZs Military Heritage The NZ Remembrance Army issupported by the RSA and other veteran organisations Local ToursIf you do engage a local historian researcher running a local tour on a significant day like Anzac orArmistice day can really help engage your community in your project
Page 25
09 MORE HELP ANDINFORMATION
This project has been sponsored by Bio-Shield who providethe highest quality product which has delivered outstandingresults for volunteers cleaning concrete and headstones To apply for your free Bio-Shield please complete theonline form here
Contact RNZRSAenquiriesrsaorgnz04 384 7994
wwwrsaorgnzapplication-bio-shield
We recommend you follow and share the NZ RemembranceArmy facebook page and let others know about your plansand progress This will help inspire others and help ensuregroups in the same district can work together Page 26
10 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This guide was developed by the RNZRSA with the help of a few key people who saw an opportunityto take action and make a difference The RNZRSA would like to specifically acknowledge thepioneering volunteer efforts and vision of Former Army Major - Simon Strombom Bronze Plaque Extraordinaire - Melanie Macdonald Porirua Historian - Allan Dodson of Porirua War Stories Your efforts will inspire many
Page 27
Finding relatives can be a challenge Often extended family have long since moved out of the districtYou do have a responsibility to at least try and let people know you are going to work on cleaning upsome graves At best you will get some support At worst no-one responds in which case wesuggest you do it anyway
Finding relatives
Social media can be a useful tool to use whentrying to track down family members Oftenposting on local RSA pages or localcommunity groups can assist in getting theword out when seeking family members
Local newspapers may publish stories andarticles about your project which can help younotify the public and find family members orrelatives
Social media Local media
Page 13
06 IDENTIFYING amp RESTORINGGRAVES
There are a range of different types of graves that require various cleaning or restoration methods
Granite Military Grave with GranitePlaque for Wife
Bronze Plaque and ConcreteMilitary Grave
Granite Memorial Cenotaph Parents Marble Grave with Lead Letteringand Granite Plaque for Serving Child
Page 14
Spray with Bio-Shield Its a good idea to do one visit where you just identify thegraves spray them and make a plan for what graves you will focus on first
General cleaning for all grave types
Step 1
Scrub using a bucket of water and a stiff bristled brush Step 2
Page 15
After spraying and cleaning Using awhite water based enamel paint anda 2mm paint brush paint over theexisting lettering and leave for10 mins to dry
Granite graves includingcenotaphs
Step 1
Using a light razor blade scraperremove the excess dry paint
Step 2
Using cuttlefish bone from pet shopclean up detail around the letteringand emblem
Step 3
Page 16
Painting Graves Video
httpswwwyoutubecomwatchv=VkQP6Kr2-SY
Page 17
Marble graves may need several spray andscrub sessions using Bio-Shield It is normal forthe marble to turn pink or brown as the lichendies Eventually the Marble will go white Its worth trying to get a stone mason to also bea sponsor for your project Their services will berequired to repair any lead lettering that isbroken
Marble Graves
Page 18
Clean the bronze plaque byscrubbing it with water and amedium textured scrubbing brush
Bronze Plaques
Step 1
Make a paste from white vinegar (1cup) and table salt (⅛ of a cup) anduse flour to bind the ingredients andcreate the paste It should bethe consistency of slightly runnypeanut butter
Step 2
Apply the paste to the bronze plaquewith a paintbrush and leave for 2-3hours You will notice that the pasteturns green as it extracts the patinaAvoid letting the paste becomecompletely dry as it is difficult toremove when this happens
Step 3
Remove the paste using papertowels and scrub clean Washwith water and a medium texturedscrubbing brush
Step 4
Step 5 Repeat steps 2-4 three or four timesuntil the bronze is restored back toits original bronze colour
Page 19
After cleaning the bronze sand withP220 wet and dry sandpaper Step 6
Once the bronze lettering andborders have been sanded paint inthe surface of the bronze usinga jet black leather dye (found in mostshoe repair shops)
Step 7
Spray bronze with a clear lacquerfinish spray that is suitable forcopper bronze and similar alloys
Step 10
When spray has dried repeat step10 a couple more times to provide agood protective layer
Step 11
Step 12 Wax the bronze plaque using a softbrush to apply the wax and a softcloth to polish it Recommendedyou use a polish wax that containscarnauba wax
When dye has dried repeat step 7until the desired colour has beenreached It should take 2-3 coats forthis to occur
Step 8
Sand the bronze lettering once moreto ensure it retains its bronze shineand remove any dye that may havecovered the lettering or borders
Step 9
Page 20
Bronze Restoration Video
httpsyoutube1cz8HkTxvgo
Page 21
Tools and Materials
Carnauba wax 220 grit sandpaper Leather dye Lacquer Bucket soft cloth paper towelsscrubbing brush
Razor blade Various paint brushes Cuttlefish bone Enamel paint
Page 22
07 KEEPING TRACK ANDRECORDING EVIDENCE
Keeping track of what you have done helps you easily share your progress and evidence withothers and protects you if anybody is concerned about any damage made to a headstone
Smaller Cemeteries If you are only working with a small cemetery and 5-6 graves then we recommend recording thecemetery and number of graves completed as well as taking simple before and after photos (If you aresocially savvy these can be posted on the NZ Remembrance Army Facebook page)
Page 23
Larger Cemeteries
If you are working with a town or city cemetery with more than 15 service graves you will need to bemore methodical and planned in your process These sites are likely to take multiple days and keepingtrack of progress is important We recommend obtaining a site map from the council and setting up aspreadsheet register and recording your plan and progress as you go Your register should include fields such as plot number name service number rank served where general notes cleaned YN photo YN type(bronze granite etc)
Archway - NZ Archives Portal (wwwarchwayarchivesgovtnz) is a great place to find servicedetails of WW1 Veterans
Page 24
08 MEDIA amp TOURS
Letting the local media know about your project can be useful for spreading the message further to reachfamily or relatives Media exposure can also help you engage other volunteers dignitaries and corporatesupport
We recommend getting started with the cleaning first and when you have some good photos and a fewstories contact your local newspaper and tell them what you are doing The National Graves Project falls under the activities of the NZ Remembrance Army which is a newlyestablished group with a focus on protecting NZs Military Heritage The NZ Remembrance Army issupported by the RSA and other veteran organisations Local ToursIf you do engage a local historian researcher running a local tour on a significant day like Anzac orArmistice day can really help engage your community in your project
Page 25
09 MORE HELP ANDINFORMATION
This project has been sponsored by Bio-Shield who providethe highest quality product which has delivered outstandingresults for volunteers cleaning concrete and headstones To apply for your free Bio-Shield please complete theonline form here
Contact RNZRSAenquiriesrsaorgnz04 384 7994
wwwrsaorgnzapplication-bio-shield
We recommend you follow and share the NZ RemembranceArmy facebook page and let others know about your plansand progress This will help inspire others and help ensuregroups in the same district can work together Page 26
10 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This guide was developed by the RNZRSA with the help of a few key people who saw an opportunityto take action and make a difference The RNZRSA would like to specifically acknowledge thepioneering volunteer efforts and vision of Former Army Major - Simon Strombom Bronze Plaque Extraordinaire - Melanie Macdonald Porirua Historian - Allan Dodson of Porirua War Stories Your efforts will inspire many
Page 27
06 IDENTIFYING amp RESTORINGGRAVES
There are a range of different types of graves that require various cleaning or restoration methods
Granite Military Grave with GranitePlaque for Wife
Bronze Plaque and ConcreteMilitary Grave
Granite Memorial Cenotaph Parents Marble Grave with Lead Letteringand Granite Plaque for Serving Child
Page 14
Spray with Bio-Shield Its a good idea to do one visit where you just identify thegraves spray them and make a plan for what graves you will focus on first
General cleaning for all grave types
Step 1
Scrub using a bucket of water and a stiff bristled brush Step 2
Page 15
After spraying and cleaning Using awhite water based enamel paint anda 2mm paint brush paint over theexisting lettering and leave for10 mins to dry
Granite graves includingcenotaphs
Step 1
Using a light razor blade scraperremove the excess dry paint
Step 2
Using cuttlefish bone from pet shopclean up detail around the letteringand emblem
Step 3
Page 16
Painting Graves Video
httpswwwyoutubecomwatchv=VkQP6Kr2-SY
Page 17
Marble graves may need several spray andscrub sessions using Bio-Shield It is normal forthe marble to turn pink or brown as the lichendies Eventually the Marble will go white Its worth trying to get a stone mason to also bea sponsor for your project Their services will berequired to repair any lead lettering that isbroken
Marble Graves
Page 18
Clean the bronze plaque byscrubbing it with water and amedium textured scrubbing brush
Bronze Plaques
Step 1
Make a paste from white vinegar (1cup) and table salt (⅛ of a cup) anduse flour to bind the ingredients andcreate the paste It should bethe consistency of slightly runnypeanut butter
Step 2
Apply the paste to the bronze plaquewith a paintbrush and leave for 2-3hours You will notice that the pasteturns green as it extracts the patinaAvoid letting the paste becomecompletely dry as it is difficult toremove when this happens
Step 3
Remove the paste using papertowels and scrub clean Washwith water and a medium texturedscrubbing brush
Step 4
Step 5 Repeat steps 2-4 three or four timesuntil the bronze is restored back toits original bronze colour
Page 19
After cleaning the bronze sand withP220 wet and dry sandpaper Step 6
Once the bronze lettering andborders have been sanded paint inthe surface of the bronze usinga jet black leather dye (found in mostshoe repair shops)
Step 7
Spray bronze with a clear lacquerfinish spray that is suitable forcopper bronze and similar alloys
Step 10
When spray has dried repeat step10 a couple more times to provide agood protective layer
Step 11
Step 12 Wax the bronze plaque using a softbrush to apply the wax and a softcloth to polish it Recommendedyou use a polish wax that containscarnauba wax
When dye has dried repeat step 7until the desired colour has beenreached It should take 2-3 coats forthis to occur
Step 8
Sand the bronze lettering once moreto ensure it retains its bronze shineand remove any dye that may havecovered the lettering or borders
Step 9
Page 20
Bronze Restoration Video
httpsyoutube1cz8HkTxvgo
Page 21
Tools and Materials
Carnauba wax 220 grit sandpaper Leather dye Lacquer Bucket soft cloth paper towelsscrubbing brush
Razor blade Various paint brushes Cuttlefish bone Enamel paint
Page 22
07 KEEPING TRACK ANDRECORDING EVIDENCE
Keeping track of what you have done helps you easily share your progress and evidence withothers and protects you if anybody is concerned about any damage made to a headstone
Smaller Cemeteries If you are only working with a small cemetery and 5-6 graves then we recommend recording thecemetery and number of graves completed as well as taking simple before and after photos (If you aresocially savvy these can be posted on the NZ Remembrance Army Facebook page)
Page 23
Larger Cemeteries
If you are working with a town or city cemetery with more than 15 service graves you will need to bemore methodical and planned in your process These sites are likely to take multiple days and keepingtrack of progress is important We recommend obtaining a site map from the council and setting up aspreadsheet register and recording your plan and progress as you go Your register should include fields such as plot number name service number rank served where general notes cleaned YN photo YN type(bronze granite etc)
Archway - NZ Archives Portal (wwwarchwayarchivesgovtnz) is a great place to find servicedetails of WW1 Veterans
Page 24
08 MEDIA amp TOURS
Letting the local media know about your project can be useful for spreading the message further to reachfamily or relatives Media exposure can also help you engage other volunteers dignitaries and corporatesupport
We recommend getting started with the cleaning first and when you have some good photos and a fewstories contact your local newspaper and tell them what you are doing The National Graves Project falls under the activities of the NZ Remembrance Army which is a newlyestablished group with a focus on protecting NZs Military Heritage The NZ Remembrance Army issupported by the RSA and other veteran organisations Local ToursIf you do engage a local historian researcher running a local tour on a significant day like Anzac orArmistice day can really help engage your community in your project
Page 25
09 MORE HELP ANDINFORMATION
This project has been sponsored by Bio-Shield who providethe highest quality product which has delivered outstandingresults for volunteers cleaning concrete and headstones To apply for your free Bio-Shield please complete theonline form here
Contact RNZRSAenquiriesrsaorgnz04 384 7994
wwwrsaorgnzapplication-bio-shield
We recommend you follow and share the NZ RemembranceArmy facebook page and let others know about your plansand progress This will help inspire others and help ensuregroups in the same district can work together Page 26
10 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This guide was developed by the RNZRSA with the help of a few key people who saw an opportunityto take action and make a difference The RNZRSA would like to specifically acknowledge thepioneering volunteer efforts and vision of Former Army Major - Simon Strombom Bronze Plaque Extraordinaire - Melanie Macdonald Porirua Historian - Allan Dodson of Porirua War Stories Your efforts will inspire many
Page 27
Spray with Bio-Shield Its a good idea to do one visit where you just identify thegraves spray them and make a plan for what graves you will focus on first
General cleaning for all grave types
Step 1
Scrub using a bucket of water and a stiff bristled brush Step 2
Page 15
After spraying and cleaning Using awhite water based enamel paint anda 2mm paint brush paint over theexisting lettering and leave for10 mins to dry
Granite graves includingcenotaphs
Step 1
Using a light razor blade scraperremove the excess dry paint
Step 2
Using cuttlefish bone from pet shopclean up detail around the letteringand emblem
Step 3
Page 16
Painting Graves Video
httpswwwyoutubecomwatchv=VkQP6Kr2-SY
Page 17
Marble graves may need several spray andscrub sessions using Bio-Shield It is normal forthe marble to turn pink or brown as the lichendies Eventually the Marble will go white Its worth trying to get a stone mason to also bea sponsor for your project Their services will berequired to repair any lead lettering that isbroken
Marble Graves
Page 18
Clean the bronze plaque byscrubbing it with water and amedium textured scrubbing brush
Bronze Plaques
Step 1
Make a paste from white vinegar (1cup) and table salt (⅛ of a cup) anduse flour to bind the ingredients andcreate the paste It should bethe consistency of slightly runnypeanut butter
Step 2
Apply the paste to the bronze plaquewith a paintbrush and leave for 2-3hours You will notice that the pasteturns green as it extracts the patinaAvoid letting the paste becomecompletely dry as it is difficult toremove when this happens
Step 3
Remove the paste using papertowels and scrub clean Washwith water and a medium texturedscrubbing brush
Step 4
Step 5 Repeat steps 2-4 three or four timesuntil the bronze is restored back toits original bronze colour
Page 19
After cleaning the bronze sand withP220 wet and dry sandpaper Step 6
Once the bronze lettering andborders have been sanded paint inthe surface of the bronze usinga jet black leather dye (found in mostshoe repair shops)
Step 7
Spray bronze with a clear lacquerfinish spray that is suitable forcopper bronze and similar alloys
Step 10
When spray has dried repeat step10 a couple more times to provide agood protective layer
Step 11
Step 12 Wax the bronze plaque using a softbrush to apply the wax and a softcloth to polish it Recommendedyou use a polish wax that containscarnauba wax
When dye has dried repeat step 7until the desired colour has beenreached It should take 2-3 coats forthis to occur
Step 8
Sand the bronze lettering once moreto ensure it retains its bronze shineand remove any dye that may havecovered the lettering or borders
Step 9
Page 20
Bronze Restoration Video
httpsyoutube1cz8HkTxvgo
Page 21
Tools and Materials
Carnauba wax 220 grit sandpaper Leather dye Lacquer Bucket soft cloth paper towelsscrubbing brush
Razor blade Various paint brushes Cuttlefish bone Enamel paint
Page 22
07 KEEPING TRACK ANDRECORDING EVIDENCE
Keeping track of what you have done helps you easily share your progress and evidence withothers and protects you if anybody is concerned about any damage made to a headstone
Smaller Cemeteries If you are only working with a small cemetery and 5-6 graves then we recommend recording thecemetery and number of graves completed as well as taking simple before and after photos (If you aresocially savvy these can be posted on the NZ Remembrance Army Facebook page)
Page 23
Larger Cemeteries
If you are working with a town or city cemetery with more than 15 service graves you will need to bemore methodical and planned in your process These sites are likely to take multiple days and keepingtrack of progress is important We recommend obtaining a site map from the council and setting up aspreadsheet register and recording your plan and progress as you go Your register should include fields such as plot number name service number rank served where general notes cleaned YN photo YN type(bronze granite etc)
Archway - NZ Archives Portal (wwwarchwayarchivesgovtnz) is a great place to find servicedetails of WW1 Veterans
Page 24
08 MEDIA amp TOURS
Letting the local media know about your project can be useful for spreading the message further to reachfamily or relatives Media exposure can also help you engage other volunteers dignitaries and corporatesupport
We recommend getting started with the cleaning first and when you have some good photos and a fewstories contact your local newspaper and tell them what you are doing The National Graves Project falls under the activities of the NZ Remembrance Army which is a newlyestablished group with a focus on protecting NZs Military Heritage The NZ Remembrance Army issupported by the RSA and other veteran organisations Local ToursIf you do engage a local historian researcher running a local tour on a significant day like Anzac orArmistice day can really help engage your community in your project
Page 25
09 MORE HELP ANDINFORMATION
This project has been sponsored by Bio-Shield who providethe highest quality product which has delivered outstandingresults for volunteers cleaning concrete and headstones To apply for your free Bio-Shield please complete theonline form here
Contact RNZRSAenquiriesrsaorgnz04 384 7994
wwwrsaorgnzapplication-bio-shield
We recommend you follow and share the NZ RemembranceArmy facebook page and let others know about your plansand progress This will help inspire others and help ensuregroups in the same district can work together Page 26
10 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This guide was developed by the RNZRSA with the help of a few key people who saw an opportunityto take action and make a difference The RNZRSA would like to specifically acknowledge thepioneering volunteer efforts and vision of Former Army Major - Simon Strombom Bronze Plaque Extraordinaire - Melanie Macdonald Porirua Historian - Allan Dodson of Porirua War Stories Your efforts will inspire many
Page 27
After spraying and cleaning Using awhite water based enamel paint anda 2mm paint brush paint over theexisting lettering and leave for10 mins to dry
Granite graves includingcenotaphs
Step 1
Using a light razor blade scraperremove the excess dry paint
Step 2
Using cuttlefish bone from pet shopclean up detail around the letteringand emblem
Step 3
Page 16
Painting Graves Video
httpswwwyoutubecomwatchv=VkQP6Kr2-SY
Page 17
Marble graves may need several spray andscrub sessions using Bio-Shield It is normal forthe marble to turn pink or brown as the lichendies Eventually the Marble will go white Its worth trying to get a stone mason to also bea sponsor for your project Their services will berequired to repair any lead lettering that isbroken
Marble Graves
Page 18
Clean the bronze plaque byscrubbing it with water and amedium textured scrubbing brush
Bronze Plaques
Step 1
Make a paste from white vinegar (1cup) and table salt (⅛ of a cup) anduse flour to bind the ingredients andcreate the paste It should bethe consistency of slightly runnypeanut butter
Step 2
Apply the paste to the bronze plaquewith a paintbrush and leave for 2-3hours You will notice that the pasteturns green as it extracts the patinaAvoid letting the paste becomecompletely dry as it is difficult toremove when this happens
Step 3
Remove the paste using papertowels and scrub clean Washwith water and a medium texturedscrubbing brush
Step 4
Step 5 Repeat steps 2-4 three or four timesuntil the bronze is restored back toits original bronze colour
Page 19
After cleaning the bronze sand withP220 wet and dry sandpaper Step 6
Once the bronze lettering andborders have been sanded paint inthe surface of the bronze usinga jet black leather dye (found in mostshoe repair shops)
Step 7
Spray bronze with a clear lacquerfinish spray that is suitable forcopper bronze and similar alloys
Step 10
When spray has dried repeat step10 a couple more times to provide agood protective layer
Step 11
Step 12 Wax the bronze plaque using a softbrush to apply the wax and a softcloth to polish it Recommendedyou use a polish wax that containscarnauba wax
When dye has dried repeat step 7until the desired colour has beenreached It should take 2-3 coats forthis to occur
Step 8
Sand the bronze lettering once moreto ensure it retains its bronze shineand remove any dye that may havecovered the lettering or borders
Step 9
Page 20
Bronze Restoration Video
httpsyoutube1cz8HkTxvgo
Page 21
Tools and Materials
Carnauba wax 220 grit sandpaper Leather dye Lacquer Bucket soft cloth paper towelsscrubbing brush
Razor blade Various paint brushes Cuttlefish bone Enamel paint
Page 22
07 KEEPING TRACK ANDRECORDING EVIDENCE
Keeping track of what you have done helps you easily share your progress and evidence withothers and protects you if anybody is concerned about any damage made to a headstone
Smaller Cemeteries If you are only working with a small cemetery and 5-6 graves then we recommend recording thecemetery and number of graves completed as well as taking simple before and after photos (If you aresocially savvy these can be posted on the NZ Remembrance Army Facebook page)
Page 23
Larger Cemeteries
If you are working with a town or city cemetery with more than 15 service graves you will need to bemore methodical and planned in your process These sites are likely to take multiple days and keepingtrack of progress is important We recommend obtaining a site map from the council and setting up aspreadsheet register and recording your plan and progress as you go Your register should include fields such as plot number name service number rank served where general notes cleaned YN photo YN type(bronze granite etc)
Archway - NZ Archives Portal (wwwarchwayarchivesgovtnz) is a great place to find servicedetails of WW1 Veterans
Page 24
08 MEDIA amp TOURS
Letting the local media know about your project can be useful for spreading the message further to reachfamily or relatives Media exposure can also help you engage other volunteers dignitaries and corporatesupport
We recommend getting started with the cleaning first and when you have some good photos and a fewstories contact your local newspaper and tell them what you are doing The National Graves Project falls under the activities of the NZ Remembrance Army which is a newlyestablished group with a focus on protecting NZs Military Heritage The NZ Remembrance Army issupported by the RSA and other veteran organisations Local ToursIf you do engage a local historian researcher running a local tour on a significant day like Anzac orArmistice day can really help engage your community in your project
Page 25
09 MORE HELP ANDINFORMATION
This project has been sponsored by Bio-Shield who providethe highest quality product which has delivered outstandingresults for volunteers cleaning concrete and headstones To apply for your free Bio-Shield please complete theonline form here
Contact RNZRSAenquiriesrsaorgnz04 384 7994
wwwrsaorgnzapplication-bio-shield
We recommend you follow and share the NZ RemembranceArmy facebook page and let others know about your plansand progress This will help inspire others and help ensuregroups in the same district can work together Page 26
10 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This guide was developed by the RNZRSA with the help of a few key people who saw an opportunityto take action and make a difference The RNZRSA would like to specifically acknowledge thepioneering volunteer efforts and vision of Former Army Major - Simon Strombom Bronze Plaque Extraordinaire - Melanie Macdonald Porirua Historian - Allan Dodson of Porirua War Stories Your efforts will inspire many
Page 27
Painting Graves Video
httpswwwyoutubecomwatchv=VkQP6Kr2-SY
Page 17
Marble graves may need several spray andscrub sessions using Bio-Shield It is normal forthe marble to turn pink or brown as the lichendies Eventually the Marble will go white Its worth trying to get a stone mason to also bea sponsor for your project Their services will berequired to repair any lead lettering that isbroken
Marble Graves
Page 18
Clean the bronze plaque byscrubbing it with water and amedium textured scrubbing brush
Bronze Plaques
Step 1
Make a paste from white vinegar (1cup) and table salt (⅛ of a cup) anduse flour to bind the ingredients andcreate the paste It should bethe consistency of slightly runnypeanut butter
Step 2
Apply the paste to the bronze plaquewith a paintbrush and leave for 2-3hours You will notice that the pasteturns green as it extracts the patinaAvoid letting the paste becomecompletely dry as it is difficult toremove when this happens
Step 3
Remove the paste using papertowels and scrub clean Washwith water and a medium texturedscrubbing brush
Step 4
Step 5 Repeat steps 2-4 three or four timesuntil the bronze is restored back toits original bronze colour
Page 19
After cleaning the bronze sand withP220 wet and dry sandpaper Step 6
Once the bronze lettering andborders have been sanded paint inthe surface of the bronze usinga jet black leather dye (found in mostshoe repair shops)
Step 7
Spray bronze with a clear lacquerfinish spray that is suitable forcopper bronze and similar alloys
Step 10
When spray has dried repeat step10 a couple more times to provide agood protective layer
Step 11
Step 12 Wax the bronze plaque using a softbrush to apply the wax and a softcloth to polish it Recommendedyou use a polish wax that containscarnauba wax
When dye has dried repeat step 7until the desired colour has beenreached It should take 2-3 coats forthis to occur
Step 8
Sand the bronze lettering once moreto ensure it retains its bronze shineand remove any dye that may havecovered the lettering or borders
Step 9
Page 20
Bronze Restoration Video
httpsyoutube1cz8HkTxvgo
Page 21
Tools and Materials
Carnauba wax 220 grit sandpaper Leather dye Lacquer Bucket soft cloth paper towelsscrubbing brush
Razor blade Various paint brushes Cuttlefish bone Enamel paint
Page 22
07 KEEPING TRACK ANDRECORDING EVIDENCE
Keeping track of what you have done helps you easily share your progress and evidence withothers and protects you if anybody is concerned about any damage made to a headstone
Smaller Cemeteries If you are only working with a small cemetery and 5-6 graves then we recommend recording thecemetery and number of graves completed as well as taking simple before and after photos (If you aresocially savvy these can be posted on the NZ Remembrance Army Facebook page)
Page 23
Larger Cemeteries
If you are working with a town or city cemetery with more than 15 service graves you will need to bemore methodical and planned in your process These sites are likely to take multiple days and keepingtrack of progress is important We recommend obtaining a site map from the council and setting up aspreadsheet register and recording your plan and progress as you go Your register should include fields such as plot number name service number rank served where general notes cleaned YN photo YN type(bronze granite etc)
Archway - NZ Archives Portal (wwwarchwayarchivesgovtnz) is a great place to find servicedetails of WW1 Veterans
Page 24
08 MEDIA amp TOURS
Letting the local media know about your project can be useful for spreading the message further to reachfamily or relatives Media exposure can also help you engage other volunteers dignitaries and corporatesupport
We recommend getting started with the cleaning first and when you have some good photos and a fewstories contact your local newspaper and tell them what you are doing The National Graves Project falls under the activities of the NZ Remembrance Army which is a newlyestablished group with a focus on protecting NZs Military Heritage The NZ Remembrance Army issupported by the RSA and other veteran organisations Local ToursIf you do engage a local historian researcher running a local tour on a significant day like Anzac orArmistice day can really help engage your community in your project
Page 25
09 MORE HELP ANDINFORMATION
This project has been sponsored by Bio-Shield who providethe highest quality product which has delivered outstandingresults for volunteers cleaning concrete and headstones To apply for your free Bio-Shield please complete theonline form here
Contact RNZRSAenquiriesrsaorgnz04 384 7994
wwwrsaorgnzapplication-bio-shield
We recommend you follow and share the NZ RemembranceArmy facebook page and let others know about your plansand progress This will help inspire others and help ensuregroups in the same district can work together Page 26
10 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This guide was developed by the RNZRSA with the help of a few key people who saw an opportunityto take action and make a difference The RNZRSA would like to specifically acknowledge thepioneering volunteer efforts and vision of Former Army Major - Simon Strombom Bronze Plaque Extraordinaire - Melanie Macdonald Porirua Historian - Allan Dodson of Porirua War Stories Your efforts will inspire many
Page 27
Marble graves may need several spray andscrub sessions using Bio-Shield It is normal forthe marble to turn pink or brown as the lichendies Eventually the Marble will go white Its worth trying to get a stone mason to also bea sponsor for your project Their services will berequired to repair any lead lettering that isbroken
Marble Graves
Page 18
Clean the bronze plaque byscrubbing it with water and amedium textured scrubbing brush
Bronze Plaques
Step 1
Make a paste from white vinegar (1cup) and table salt (⅛ of a cup) anduse flour to bind the ingredients andcreate the paste It should bethe consistency of slightly runnypeanut butter
Step 2
Apply the paste to the bronze plaquewith a paintbrush and leave for 2-3hours You will notice that the pasteturns green as it extracts the patinaAvoid letting the paste becomecompletely dry as it is difficult toremove when this happens
Step 3
Remove the paste using papertowels and scrub clean Washwith water and a medium texturedscrubbing brush
Step 4
Step 5 Repeat steps 2-4 three or four timesuntil the bronze is restored back toits original bronze colour
Page 19
After cleaning the bronze sand withP220 wet and dry sandpaper Step 6
Once the bronze lettering andborders have been sanded paint inthe surface of the bronze usinga jet black leather dye (found in mostshoe repair shops)
Step 7
Spray bronze with a clear lacquerfinish spray that is suitable forcopper bronze and similar alloys
Step 10
When spray has dried repeat step10 a couple more times to provide agood protective layer
Step 11
Step 12 Wax the bronze plaque using a softbrush to apply the wax and a softcloth to polish it Recommendedyou use a polish wax that containscarnauba wax
When dye has dried repeat step 7until the desired colour has beenreached It should take 2-3 coats forthis to occur
Step 8
Sand the bronze lettering once moreto ensure it retains its bronze shineand remove any dye that may havecovered the lettering or borders
Step 9
Page 20
Bronze Restoration Video
httpsyoutube1cz8HkTxvgo
Page 21
Tools and Materials
Carnauba wax 220 grit sandpaper Leather dye Lacquer Bucket soft cloth paper towelsscrubbing brush
Razor blade Various paint brushes Cuttlefish bone Enamel paint
Page 22
07 KEEPING TRACK ANDRECORDING EVIDENCE
Keeping track of what you have done helps you easily share your progress and evidence withothers and protects you if anybody is concerned about any damage made to a headstone
Smaller Cemeteries If you are only working with a small cemetery and 5-6 graves then we recommend recording thecemetery and number of graves completed as well as taking simple before and after photos (If you aresocially savvy these can be posted on the NZ Remembrance Army Facebook page)
Page 23
Larger Cemeteries
If you are working with a town or city cemetery with more than 15 service graves you will need to bemore methodical and planned in your process These sites are likely to take multiple days and keepingtrack of progress is important We recommend obtaining a site map from the council and setting up aspreadsheet register and recording your plan and progress as you go Your register should include fields such as plot number name service number rank served where general notes cleaned YN photo YN type(bronze granite etc)
Archway - NZ Archives Portal (wwwarchwayarchivesgovtnz) is a great place to find servicedetails of WW1 Veterans
Page 24
08 MEDIA amp TOURS
Letting the local media know about your project can be useful for spreading the message further to reachfamily or relatives Media exposure can also help you engage other volunteers dignitaries and corporatesupport
We recommend getting started with the cleaning first and when you have some good photos and a fewstories contact your local newspaper and tell them what you are doing The National Graves Project falls under the activities of the NZ Remembrance Army which is a newlyestablished group with a focus on protecting NZs Military Heritage The NZ Remembrance Army issupported by the RSA and other veteran organisations Local ToursIf you do engage a local historian researcher running a local tour on a significant day like Anzac orArmistice day can really help engage your community in your project
Page 25
09 MORE HELP ANDINFORMATION
This project has been sponsored by Bio-Shield who providethe highest quality product which has delivered outstandingresults for volunteers cleaning concrete and headstones To apply for your free Bio-Shield please complete theonline form here
Contact RNZRSAenquiriesrsaorgnz04 384 7994
wwwrsaorgnzapplication-bio-shield
We recommend you follow and share the NZ RemembranceArmy facebook page and let others know about your plansand progress This will help inspire others and help ensuregroups in the same district can work together Page 26
10 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This guide was developed by the RNZRSA with the help of a few key people who saw an opportunityto take action and make a difference The RNZRSA would like to specifically acknowledge thepioneering volunteer efforts and vision of Former Army Major - Simon Strombom Bronze Plaque Extraordinaire - Melanie Macdonald Porirua Historian - Allan Dodson of Porirua War Stories Your efforts will inspire many
Page 27
Clean the bronze plaque byscrubbing it with water and amedium textured scrubbing brush
Bronze Plaques
Step 1
Make a paste from white vinegar (1cup) and table salt (⅛ of a cup) anduse flour to bind the ingredients andcreate the paste It should bethe consistency of slightly runnypeanut butter
Step 2
Apply the paste to the bronze plaquewith a paintbrush and leave for 2-3hours You will notice that the pasteturns green as it extracts the patinaAvoid letting the paste becomecompletely dry as it is difficult toremove when this happens
Step 3
Remove the paste using papertowels and scrub clean Washwith water and a medium texturedscrubbing brush
Step 4
Step 5 Repeat steps 2-4 three or four timesuntil the bronze is restored back toits original bronze colour
Page 19
After cleaning the bronze sand withP220 wet and dry sandpaper Step 6
Once the bronze lettering andborders have been sanded paint inthe surface of the bronze usinga jet black leather dye (found in mostshoe repair shops)
Step 7
Spray bronze with a clear lacquerfinish spray that is suitable forcopper bronze and similar alloys
Step 10
When spray has dried repeat step10 a couple more times to provide agood protective layer
Step 11
Step 12 Wax the bronze plaque using a softbrush to apply the wax and a softcloth to polish it Recommendedyou use a polish wax that containscarnauba wax
When dye has dried repeat step 7until the desired colour has beenreached It should take 2-3 coats forthis to occur
Step 8
Sand the bronze lettering once moreto ensure it retains its bronze shineand remove any dye that may havecovered the lettering or borders
Step 9
Page 20
Bronze Restoration Video
httpsyoutube1cz8HkTxvgo
Page 21
Tools and Materials
Carnauba wax 220 grit sandpaper Leather dye Lacquer Bucket soft cloth paper towelsscrubbing brush
Razor blade Various paint brushes Cuttlefish bone Enamel paint
Page 22
07 KEEPING TRACK ANDRECORDING EVIDENCE
Keeping track of what you have done helps you easily share your progress and evidence withothers and protects you if anybody is concerned about any damage made to a headstone
Smaller Cemeteries If you are only working with a small cemetery and 5-6 graves then we recommend recording thecemetery and number of graves completed as well as taking simple before and after photos (If you aresocially savvy these can be posted on the NZ Remembrance Army Facebook page)
Page 23
Larger Cemeteries
If you are working with a town or city cemetery with more than 15 service graves you will need to bemore methodical and planned in your process These sites are likely to take multiple days and keepingtrack of progress is important We recommend obtaining a site map from the council and setting up aspreadsheet register and recording your plan and progress as you go Your register should include fields such as plot number name service number rank served where general notes cleaned YN photo YN type(bronze granite etc)
Archway - NZ Archives Portal (wwwarchwayarchivesgovtnz) is a great place to find servicedetails of WW1 Veterans
Page 24
08 MEDIA amp TOURS
Letting the local media know about your project can be useful for spreading the message further to reachfamily or relatives Media exposure can also help you engage other volunteers dignitaries and corporatesupport
We recommend getting started with the cleaning first and when you have some good photos and a fewstories contact your local newspaper and tell them what you are doing The National Graves Project falls under the activities of the NZ Remembrance Army which is a newlyestablished group with a focus on protecting NZs Military Heritage The NZ Remembrance Army issupported by the RSA and other veteran organisations Local ToursIf you do engage a local historian researcher running a local tour on a significant day like Anzac orArmistice day can really help engage your community in your project
Page 25
09 MORE HELP ANDINFORMATION
This project has been sponsored by Bio-Shield who providethe highest quality product which has delivered outstandingresults for volunteers cleaning concrete and headstones To apply for your free Bio-Shield please complete theonline form here
Contact RNZRSAenquiriesrsaorgnz04 384 7994
wwwrsaorgnzapplication-bio-shield
We recommend you follow and share the NZ RemembranceArmy facebook page and let others know about your plansand progress This will help inspire others and help ensuregroups in the same district can work together Page 26
10 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This guide was developed by the RNZRSA with the help of a few key people who saw an opportunityto take action and make a difference The RNZRSA would like to specifically acknowledge thepioneering volunteer efforts and vision of Former Army Major - Simon Strombom Bronze Plaque Extraordinaire - Melanie Macdonald Porirua Historian - Allan Dodson of Porirua War Stories Your efforts will inspire many
Page 27
After cleaning the bronze sand withP220 wet and dry sandpaper Step 6
Once the bronze lettering andborders have been sanded paint inthe surface of the bronze usinga jet black leather dye (found in mostshoe repair shops)
Step 7
Spray bronze with a clear lacquerfinish spray that is suitable forcopper bronze and similar alloys
Step 10
When spray has dried repeat step10 a couple more times to provide agood protective layer
Step 11
Step 12 Wax the bronze plaque using a softbrush to apply the wax and a softcloth to polish it Recommendedyou use a polish wax that containscarnauba wax
When dye has dried repeat step 7until the desired colour has beenreached It should take 2-3 coats forthis to occur
Step 8
Sand the bronze lettering once moreto ensure it retains its bronze shineand remove any dye that may havecovered the lettering or borders
Step 9
Page 20
Bronze Restoration Video
httpsyoutube1cz8HkTxvgo
Page 21
Tools and Materials
Carnauba wax 220 grit sandpaper Leather dye Lacquer Bucket soft cloth paper towelsscrubbing brush
Razor blade Various paint brushes Cuttlefish bone Enamel paint
Page 22
07 KEEPING TRACK ANDRECORDING EVIDENCE
Keeping track of what you have done helps you easily share your progress and evidence withothers and protects you if anybody is concerned about any damage made to a headstone
Smaller Cemeteries If you are only working with a small cemetery and 5-6 graves then we recommend recording thecemetery and number of graves completed as well as taking simple before and after photos (If you aresocially savvy these can be posted on the NZ Remembrance Army Facebook page)
Page 23
Larger Cemeteries
If you are working with a town or city cemetery with more than 15 service graves you will need to bemore methodical and planned in your process These sites are likely to take multiple days and keepingtrack of progress is important We recommend obtaining a site map from the council and setting up aspreadsheet register and recording your plan and progress as you go Your register should include fields such as plot number name service number rank served where general notes cleaned YN photo YN type(bronze granite etc)
Archway - NZ Archives Portal (wwwarchwayarchivesgovtnz) is a great place to find servicedetails of WW1 Veterans
Page 24
08 MEDIA amp TOURS
Letting the local media know about your project can be useful for spreading the message further to reachfamily or relatives Media exposure can also help you engage other volunteers dignitaries and corporatesupport
We recommend getting started with the cleaning first and when you have some good photos and a fewstories contact your local newspaper and tell them what you are doing The National Graves Project falls under the activities of the NZ Remembrance Army which is a newlyestablished group with a focus on protecting NZs Military Heritage The NZ Remembrance Army issupported by the RSA and other veteran organisations Local ToursIf you do engage a local historian researcher running a local tour on a significant day like Anzac orArmistice day can really help engage your community in your project
Page 25
09 MORE HELP ANDINFORMATION
This project has been sponsored by Bio-Shield who providethe highest quality product which has delivered outstandingresults for volunteers cleaning concrete and headstones To apply for your free Bio-Shield please complete theonline form here
Contact RNZRSAenquiriesrsaorgnz04 384 7994
wwwrsaorgnzapplication-bio-shield
We recommend you follow and share the NZ RemembranceArmy facebook page and let others know about your plansand progress This will help inspire others and help ensuregroups in the same district can work together Page 26
10 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This guide was developed by the RNZRSA with the help of a few key people who saw an opportunityto take action and make a difference The RNZRSA would like to specifically acknowledge thepioneering volunteer efforts and vision of Former Army Major - Simon Strombom Bronze Plaque Extraordinaire - Melanie Macdonald Porirua Historian - Allan Dodson of Porirua War Stories Your efforts will inspire many
Page 27
Bronze Restoration Video
httpsyoutube1cz8HkTxvgo
Page 21
Tools and Materials
Carnauba wax 220 grit sandpaper Leather dye Lacquer Bucket soft cloth paper towelsscrubbing brush
Razor blade Various paint brushes Cuttlefish bone Enamel paint
Page 22
07 KEEPING TRACK ANDRECORDING EVIDENCE
Keeping track of what you have done helps you easily share your progress and evidence withothers and protects you if anybody is concerned about any damage made to a headstone
Smaller Cemeteries If you are only working with a small cemetery and 5-6 graves then we recommend recording thecemetery and number of graves completed as well as taking simple before and after photos (If you aresocially savvy these can be posted on the NZ Remembrance Army Facebook page)
Page 23
Larger Cemeteries
If you are working with a town or city cemetery with more than 15 service graves you will need to bemore methodical and planned in your process These sites are likely to take multiple days and keepingtrack of progress is important We recommend obtaining a site map from the council and setting up aspreadsheet register and recording your plan and progress as you go Your register should include fields such as plot number name service number rank served where general notes cleaned YN photo YN type(bronze granite etc)
Archway - NZ Archives Portal (wwwarchwayarchivesgovtnz) is a great place to find servicedetails of WW1 Veterans
Page 24
08 MEDIA amp TOURS
Letting the local media know about your project can be useful for spreading the message further to reachfamily or relatives Media exposure can also help you engage other volunteers dignitaries and corporatesupport
We recommend getting started with the cleaning first and when you have some good photos and a fewstories contact your local newspaper and tell them what you are doing The National Graves Project falls under the activities of the NZ Remembrance Army which is a newlyestablished group with a focus on protecting NZs Military Heritage The NZ Remembrance Army issupported by the RSA and other veteran organisations Local ToursIf you do engage a local historian researcher running a local tour on a significant day like Anzac orArmistice day can really help engage your community in your project
Page 25
09 MORE HELP ANDINFORMATION
This project has been sponsored by Bio-Shield who providethe highest quality product which has delivered outstandingresults for volunteers cleaning concrete and headstones To apply for your free Bio-Shield please complete theonline form here
Contact RNZRSAenquiriesrsaorgnz04 384 7994
wwwrsaorgnzapplication-bio-shield
We recommend you follow and share the NZ RemembranceArmy facebook page and let others know about your plansand progress This will help inspire others and help ensuregroups in the same district can work together Page 26
10 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This guide was developed by the RNZRSA with the help of a few key people who saw an opportunityto take action and make a difference The RNZRSA would like to specifically acknowledge thepioneering volunteer efforts and vision of Former Army Major - Simon Strombom Bronze Plaque Extraordinaire - Melanie Macdonald Porirua Historian - Allan Dodson of Porirua War Stories Your efforts will inspire many
Page 27
Tools and Materials
Carnauba wax 220 grit sandpaper Leather dye Lacquer Bucket soft cloth paper towelsscrubbing brush
Razor blade Various paint brushes Cuttlefish bone Enamel paint
Page 22
07 KEEPING TRACK ANDRECORDING EVIDENCE
Keeping track of what you have done helps you easily share your progress and evidence withothers and protects you if anybody is concerned about any damage made to a headstone
Smaller Cemeteries If you are only working with a small cemetery and 5-6 graves then we recommend recording thecemetery and number of graves completed as well as taking simple before and after photos (If you aresocially savvy these can be posted on the NZ Remembrance Army Facebook page)
Page 23
Larger Cemeteries
If you are working with a town or city cemetery with more than 15 service graves you will need to bemore methodical and planned in your process These sites are likely to take multiple days and keepingtrack of progress is important We recommend obtaining a site map from the council and setting up aspreadsheet register and recording your plan and progress as you go Your register should include fields such as plot number name service number rank served where general notes cleaned YN photo YN type(bronze granite etc)
Archway - NZ Archives Portal (wwwarchwayarchivesgovtnz) is a great place to find servicedetails of WW1 Veterans
Page 24
08 MEDIA amp TOURS
Letting the local media know about your project can be useful for spreading the message further to reachfamily or relatives Media exposure can also help you engage other volunteers dignitaries and corporatesupport
We recommend getting started with the cleaning first and when you have some good photos and a fewstories contact your local newspaper and tell them what you are doing The National Graves Project falls under the activities of the NZ Remembrance Army which is a newlyestablished group with a focus on protecting NZs Military Heritage The NZ Remembrance Army issupported by the RSA and other veteran organisations Local ToursIf you do engage a local historian researcher running a local tour on a significant day like Anzac orArmistice day can really help engage your community in your project
Page 25
09 MORE HELP ANDINFORMATION
This project has been sponsored by Bio-Shield who providethe highest quality product which has delivered outstandingresults for volunteers cleaning concrete and headstones To apply for your free Bio-Shield please complete theonline form here
Contact RNZRSAenquiriesrsaorgnz04 384 7994
wwwrsaorgnzapplication-bio-shield
We recommend you follow and share the NZ RemembranceArmy facebook page and let others know about your plansand progress This will help inspire others and help ensuregroups in the same district can work together Page 26
10 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This guide was developed by the RNZRSA with the help of a few key people who saw an opportunityto take action and make a difference The RNZRSA would like to specifically acknowledge thepioneering volunteer efforts and vision of Former Army Major - Simon Strombom Bronze Plaque Extraordinaire - Melanie Macdonald Porirua Historian - Allan Dodson of Porirua War Stories Your efforts will inspire many
Page 27
07 KEEPING TRACK ANDRECORDING EVIDENCE
Keeping track of what you have done helps you easily share your progress and evidence withothers and protects you if anybody is concerned about any damage made to a headstone
Smaller Cemeteries If you are only working with a small cemetery and 5-6 graves then we recommend recording thecemetery and number of graves completed as well as taking simple before and after photos (If you aresocially savvy these can be posted on the NZ Remembrance Army Facebook page)
Page 23
Larger Cemeteries
If you are working with a town or city cemetery with more than 15 service graves you will need to bemore methodical and planned in your process These sites are likely to take multiple days and keepingtrack of progress is important We recommend obtaining a site map from the council and setting up aspreadsheet register and recording your plan and progress as you go Your register should include fields such as plot number name service number rank served where general notes cleaned YN photo YN type(bronze granite etc)
Archway - NZ Archives Portal (wwwarchwayarchivesgovtnz) is a great place to find servicedetails of WW1 Veterans
Page 24
08 MEDIA amp TOURS
Letting the local media know about your project can be useful for spreading the message further to reachfamily or relatives Media exposure can also help you engage other volunteers dignitaries and corporatesupport
We recommend getting started with the cleaning first and when you have some good photos and a fewstories contact your local newspaper and tell them what you are doing The National Graves Project falls under the activities of the NZ Remembrance Army which is a newlyestablished group with a focus on protecting NZs Military Heritage The NZ Remembrance Army issupported by the RSA and other veteran organisations Local ToursIf you do engage a local historian researcher running a local tour on a significant day like Anzac orArmistice day can really help engage your community in your project
Page 25
09 MORE HELP ANDINFORMATION
This project has been sponsored by Bio-Shield who providethe highest quality product which has delivered outstandingresults for volunteers cleaning concrete and headstones To apply for your free Bio-Shield please complete theonline form here
Contact RNZRSAenquiriesrsaorgnz04 384 7994
wwwrsaorgnzapplication-bio-shield
We recommend you follow and share the NZ RemembranceArmy facebook page and let others know about your plansand progress This will help inspire others and help ensuregroups in the same district can work together Page 26
10 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This guide was developed by the RNZRSA with the help of a few key people who saw an opportunityto take action and make a difference The RNZRSA would like to specifically acknowledge thepioneering volunteer efforts and vision of Former Army Major - Simon Strombom Bronze Plaque Extraordinaire - Melanie Macdonald Porirua Historian - Allan Dodson of Porirua War Stories Your efforts will inspire many
Page 27
Larger Cemeteries
If you are working with a town or city cemetery with more than 15 service graves you will need to bemore methodical and planned in your process These sites are likely to take multiple days and keepingtrack of progress is important We recommend obtaining a site map from the council and setting up aspreadsheet register and recording your plan and progress as you go Your register should include fields such as plot number name service number rank served where general notes cleaned YN photo YN type(bronze granite etc)
Archway - NZ Archives Portal (wwwarchwayarchivesgovtnz) is a great place to find servicedetails of WW1 Veterans
Page 24
08 MEDIA amp TOURS
Letting the local media know about your project can be useful for spreading the message further to reachfamily or relatives Media exposure can also help you engage other volunteers dignitaries and corporatesupport
We recommend getting started with the cleaning first and when you have some good photos and a fewstories contact your local newspaper and tell them what you are doing The National Graves Project falls under the activities of the NZ Remembrance Army which is a newlyestablished group with a focus on protecting NZs Military Heritage The NZ Remembrance Army issupported by the RSA and other veteran organisations Local ToursIf you do engage a local historian researcher running a local tour on a significant day like Anzac orArmistice day can really help engage your community in your project
Page 25
09 MORE HELP ANDINFORMATION
This project has been sponsored by Bio-Shield who providethe highest quality product which has delivered outstandingresults for volunteers cleaning concrete and headstones To apply for your free Bio-Shield please complete theonline form here
Contact RNZRSAenquiriesrsaorgnz04 384 7994
wwwrsaorgnzapplication-bio-shield
We recommend you follow and share the NZ RemembranceArmy facebook page and let others know about your plansand progress This will help inspire others and help ensuregroups in the same district can work together Page 26
10 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This guide was developed by the RNZRSA with the help of a few key people who saw an opportunityto take action and make a difference The RNZRSA would like to specifically acknowledge thepioneering volunteer efforts and vision of Former Army Major - Simon Strombom Bronze Plaque Extraordinaire - Melanie Macdonald Porirua Historian - Allan Dodson of Porirua War Stories Your efforts will inspire many
Page 27
08 MEDIA amp TOURS
Letting the local media know about your project can be useful for spreading the message further to reachfamily or relatives Media exposure can also help you engage other volunteers dignitaries and corporatesupport
We recommend getting started with the cleaning first and when you have some good photos and a fewstories contact your local newspaper and tell them what you are doing The National Graves Project falls under the activities of the NZ Remembrance Army which is a newlyestablished group with a focus on protecting NZs Military Heritage The NZ Remembrance Army issupported by the RSA and other veteran organisations Local ToursIf you do engage a local historian researcher running a local tour on a significant day like Anzac orArmistice day can really help engage your community in your project
Page 25
09 MORE HELP ANDINFORMATION
This project has been sponsored by Bio-Shield who providethe highest quality product which has delivered outstandingresults for volunteers cleaning concrete and headstones To apply for your free Bio-Shield please complete theonline form here
Contact RNZRSAenquiriesrsaorgnz04 384 7994
wwwrsaorgnzapplication-bio-shield
We recommend you follow and share the NZ RemembranceArmy facebook page and let others know about your plansand progress This will help inspire others and help ensuregroups in the same district can work together Page 26
10 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This guide was developed by the RNZRSA with the help of a few key people who saw an opportunityto take action and make a difference The RNZRSA would like to specifically acknowledge thepioneering volunteer efforts and vision of Former Army Major - Simon Strombom Bronze Plaque Extraordinaire - Melanie Macdonald Porirua Historian - Allan Dodson of Porirua War Stories Your efforts will inspire many
Page 27
09 MORE HELP ANDINFORMATION
This project has been sponsored by Bio-Shield who providethe highest quality product which has delivered outstandingresults for volunteers cleaning concrete and headstones To apply for your free Bio-Shield please complete theonline form here
Contact RNZRSAenquiriesrsaorgnz04 384 7994
wwwrsaorgnzapplication-bio-shield
We recommend you follow and share the NZ RemembranceArmy facebook page and let others know about your plansand progress This will help inspire others and help ensuregroups in the same district can work together Page 26
10 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This guide was developed by the RNZRSA with the help of a few key people who saw an opportunityto take action and make a difference The RNZRSA would like to specifically acknowledge thepioneering volunteer efforts and vision of Former Army Major - Simon Strombom Bronze Plaque Extraordinaire - Melanie Macdonald Porirua Historian - Allan Dodson of Porirua War Stories Your efforts will inspire many
Page 27
10 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This guide was developed by the RNZRSA with the help of a few key people who saw an opportunityto take action and make a difference The RNZRSA would like to specifically acknowledge thepioneering volunteer efforts and vision of Former Army Major - Simon Strombom Bronze Plaque Extraordinaire - Melanie Macdonald Porirua Historian - Allan Dodson of Porirua War Stories Your efforts will inspire many
Page 27
![o )losed n] Open I B-7132-01M Hose Reel w/ Spray Valve](https://img.pdfslide.us/doc/110x75/616a23b411a7b741a34f3a76/o-losed-n-open-i-b-7132-01m-hose-reel-w-spray-valve-.jpg)
