A new war memorial will be unveiled in the former West Otago township of Kelso tomorrow.
West Otago Community Board deputy chairman John Herbert said the memorial was finished, and under wraps until its unveiling at the Kelso service on Anzac Day.
The one-off service would replace this year's Dunrobin service, West Otago RSA secretary Horace McAuley said.
The Kelso memorial would give anyone visiting the area the chance to read the names of those who served their country in the two world wars, Mr McAuley said.
The special Anzac service will be held at noon. Long-time Kelso resident and Rural Women New Zealand member Alison Duff will be the guest speaker.
Mrs Duff will speak about Agnes Herbert, who served in World War 1 as a nurse, and is the only woman on the Kelso roll of honour.
The memorial is about 5m from the Kelso flood memorial at the site of the former West Otago township. The cost of the project has been estimated to be about $7000.
The council has set aside $2000 from its war memorial repairs budget for the project.
The concrete war memorial is almost 2m high and reproduces the names of those on the Kelso honours board. There are 99 names from Kelso.
The idea was brought to the board's attention last March and members agreed to speak to the West Otago community to gauge public support for it. The idea received support from the RSA and Kelso residents.
Relatives of those who left Kelso to serve in World War 1 or World War 2 have also expressed their support, and some North Island people have contacted Mr Herbert.
West Otago Anzac services will be held in Tapanui tomorrow at 9.30am, Heriot at 11am, and Kelso at 12.15pm.
