News:
New Zealanders often think of the Gallipoli experience in 1915 when they think of New Zealand’s role in the First World War, but we had an enormous contribution on the Western Front between 1916 and 1918.
It was on the Somme that the majority of New Zealander were killed or wounded during the First World War.
New Zealand will be conducting three commemorative ceremonies on 15 September in Longueval, France, to mark the beginning of New Zealand's involvement in the Battle of the Somme.
A series of flags have been created to commemorate and remember New Zealand’s role in the Battle of the Somme and to celebrate New Zealand’s ongoing relationship with France. These flags will be displayed during the commemorative ceremonies in France.
New Zealand troops and the tank 'Jumping Jennie' in a trench at Gommecourt Wood, France, during World War 1.
Photograph taken on 10 August 1918, by Henry Armytage Sanders.
Image courtesy of Alexander Turnbull Library (external link)(external link). Royal New Zealand Returned and Services' Association: New Zealand official negatives, World War 1914-1918. Ref: 1/2-013484-G.
Find out more about the first tanks used on the battlefield. (external link)(external link)
Nurses look out of the windows of the New Zealand Stationary Hospital, Wisques, France, during World War 1.
Image courtesy of Alexander Turnbull Library.(external link) Royal New Zealand Returned and Services' Association: New Zealand official negatives, World War 1914-1918. Ref: 1/2-013481-G.
New Zealand soldiers in Switch Trench shortly after its capture in the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, part of the Somme offensive.
Image courtesy of the New Zealand National Army Museum, accession number: 2007.549(external link)
Soldiers guard the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior. Wellington, New Zealand: Centenary of the Battle for Chunuk Bair 8 August 2015, Pukeahu National War Memorial Park in Wellington, New Zealand.
Photo by Mark Tantrum/WW100
Find out more about The New Zealand Tomb of the Unknown Warrior(external link).
3/4 portrait of 2nd Lieutenant Henare Mokena Kohere, Reg No 16/1018, of the 2nd Maori Contingent, New Zealand Maori Pioneer Battalion, wearing campaign medals.
Photographer: Herman Schmidt, 1915. Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, 31-K2804. No known copyright
Portrait of John Owen Clay, circa 1915, Wellington.
William Berry. Purchased 1998 with New Zealand Lottery Grants Board funds. Te Papa.
Close up of Henry Pickerill photo staff, Queen’s Hospital, Sidcup 4 June 1918.
Archives New Zealand. Reference: ACID 24717, WA143a, R23839334
Find out more about Dr Henry Pickerill of the New Zealand Medical Corps.(external link)
Portrait of Donald Forrester Brown.
Waitaki District Archive, New Zealand. Reference: 830