Invercargill is probably most well known internationally for the famous Invercargill March, a stirring piece of military music written in 1900 by the composer Alex F. Lithgow, who lived in Invercargill from the age of 6, although born in Scotland. The march was specifically written for the City of Invercargill, which Alex Lithgow dearly missed while he was away. "Invercargill" rates alongside old favorites such as the Gladiator March, Liberty Bell, the Radetsky March, and other stirring Sousa marches. The Invercargill March is especially popular in the United States of America. It is a favorite of the US Marines, and was the Regimental March of the 56th Infantry Regiment of the York Guard">New York Guard during World War 2.
Famous Invercargillites
Ernest Godward - Inventor, the spiral hairpin, the petrol economiser Peter Arnett - NBC War Correspondent Rowena Jackson - Royal BalletPrima ballerina Johnnie Checketts - Silver Star, Wingco and Spitfire Ace Bill Crawford-Crompton - Silver Star, Air Vice Marshall and WW2 Commander and Ace Herbert Pither - aviation legend of Southland, made cycles, petrol engines, marine engineering etc. Herbert James Burt Munro - land speed records, inventor
Gerald Cross - technological experimenter David Cross - technological experimenter Marton Csokas - actor in major Hollywood films
John Pomeroy - inventor - pomeroy (tracer) bullet
Joseph Hatch - pharmacist, sealing and penguin oil trade, subantarctic
Alfred Philpott - entomologist, helped to set up Cawthron Institute
Barry Hillis - Solar Power enthusiast
James Herries Beattie - local historian, Percy Smith medal in anthropology
Robert McNab - historian, MP etc.
Richard Henry - Dedicated to the early preservation of N.Z.’s flightless birds Joseph Ward - Prime Minister of New Zealand Garfield Todd - Prime Minister of Rhodesia
Henry Gordon Munro - All Black, 1924-25 Invincibles Victor Spencer - last soldier to be executed in World War I, pardoned in 2005
Georgie West - first Maori to enter RNZAF New Zealand Netball (Silver Ferns) Captain Jeff Wilson - All Black and Black Cap Leslie Nicol - Silverfern Captain
Leicester Rutledge - All Black Bill Manhire - N.Z.’s inaugural poet laureate
Dan Davin - author Jeremy Waldron - prominent legal and political philosopher
Jon Gadsby - Well noted NZ Comedian. Chris Knox - An infamous (in NZ) alternative rock musician.
