About 70 people braved a chill wind and rain to attend the ceremony, including special guest former Governor-General and chief of NZ Defence Force Sir Jerry Mateparae, Dunedin RSA representatives, descendants, North East Valley Normal School pupils and local residents.
After a mihi whakatau by Captain (retired) John Broughton, Major (retired) Lox Kellas welcomed the crowd and shared some history.
The memorial site was created in 1919 on part of the former Upper Junction School playground, where the men went to school.
Their names were written on a plaque and 17 beech trees were planted, Mr Kellas said.
Four of the men were from the Brennan family and three from the Paisley family.
Upper Junction suffered the highest per-capita loss of any New Zealand community during the war.
None of the original beech trees survived, but a beech tree planted in 1925 as a peace memorial is still alive.
After the Upper Junction School was destroyed by fire in 1945 and vital records were lost, the land was vested in the Dunedin RSA in 1955.
A memorial monument was installed, but eventually the site fell into disrepair.
"Very little was done to the site until 2019, when the local branch of the Remembrance Army, in co-operation with neighbours John and Mary campbell, volunteered to refurbish the site," Mr Kellas said.
"1500 volunteer hours have gone into this project."
The project had given rise to the Otago Military History Group, which had undertaken more projects and research into local military history.
On Armistice Day 2020, the Upper Junction memorial board was placed in the North East Valley Normal School Hall, Mr Kellas said.
Stepping forward to rededicate the site, Padre Captain Aaron Knotts said the site had been through many phases — beginning as a place of work and play as Upper Junction School before being sanctified as a war memorial and then destroyed by fire.
"Now we gather to rededicate the site and to remember all that was given and the lives lost, as we mark its transition from disturbed ground to sacred ground again," Capt Knotts said.
Sir Jerry laid a wreath at the war memorial before North East Valley Normal pupils laid sprigs of rosemary, for remembrance, at the 17 plinths naming the soldiers.
Trumpeter Ralph Miller played the Last Post and Reveille.
The ceremony concluded with a blessing.
Sir Jerry told The Star he found the Upper Junction war memorial site a "beautiful place, with a stunning setting and vistas".
"It is good that we have young children with us today, as we commit to the memory of those who are commemorated here."
Neighbour John Campbell said it was "imperative to protect this site, and it’s great that it is now updated and blessed."
