Public welcome to plaque unveiling

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The rock at Howick Beach near the boat ramp where the plaques were taken from, and replacement ones will be installed at 10am on Saturday, February 15. Times file photos

The public is invited to see new replacement dedication plaques being unveiled at Howick Beach this Saturday.

The plaques have been organised by Howick Coastguard to replace the ones that were firmly mounted on a rock at the beach and stolen last September.

That theft led to an outpouring of frustration and disappointment from the east Auckland community, so Howick Coastguard was determined to source new plaques and have them installed.

The first plaques were unveiled in November 2017, an official remembrance of the loss of brothers Rex Edward Goddard, 13, and Richard Keith Goddard, 11, and their friend Richard Hugh Williams, 16.

The boys drowned after setting out from Howick Beach to go fishing in their dinghy on July 15, 1956.

This Saturday morning’s unveiling of new plaques is at 10.30am at Howick Beach, says Howick Coastguard president Blair Telfer.

He says the community is welcome and invited to the ceremony that will also be attended by relatives of the late Goddard brothers and Williams, Pakuranga MP Simeon Brown, and Howick Local Board chair Damian Light.

The plaques will also be blessed by a leader from All Saints Anglican Church.

The words on the original top plaque read: ‘To the memory of Richard Hugh Williams, Rex Edward Goddard, Richard Keith Goddard, accidentally drowned 15th July 1956.’

The bottom plaque stated: ‘This tragic accident started a major community effort which resulted in the formation of the Howick Sea Rescue Service in February 1957.’

No one has been arrested and charged for the theft of the plaques.

They were unveiled eight years ago in conjunction with the 60th anniversary of Howick Volunteer Coastguard.

Sergeant Brett Meale of Howick Police previously told the Times that CCTV footage showed the plaques being removed from the rock by the boat ramp at Howick Beach about 6am on Friday, September 6.

He said the two offenders were caught on film removing the plaques, as well as the vehicle they were travelling in.

“We’re trying to see if we can find any other CCTV footage from neighbouring properties around that time,” Meale said.

“People are out walking at that time of morning and at 6am it’s becoming light, so anyone who was in that area, it would be great if they could contact us if they’ve seen anything.

“Likewise, anyone who may have CCTV footage and they’re in the area, if they could check their cameras around that time.

“We’re particularly interested in any vehicles that may have been filmed by CCTV entering the Howick Beach area from about 5.50am on September 6.”

When the Times reported the plaques’ theft in September, the east Auckland community reacted with anger.

A social media post attracted dozens of annoyed responses, with one person commenting that the thief or thieves were “scum”, while others suggested the metal plaques may have been taken to sell for scrap.