Post by flyjoe180 on Oct 12, 2007 16:20:51 GMT 12
Service held to remember Passchendaele
NZPA | Friday, 12 October 2007
A special commemorative service to mark the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Passchendaele was held at the National War Memorial in Wellington today.
On October 12, 1917, 2800 soldiers were killed, wounded or listed as missing during the Battle of Passchendaele in the small West Flanders town in Belgium - New Zealand's worst single military disaster.
Today Governor-General Anand Satyanand laid a wreath and principal defence chaplain John Neal conducted a commemorative service at the National War Memorial and Tomb of the Unknown Warrior.
Veterans Affairs Minister Rick Barker, who attended, said the service was about remembering the sacrifice of New Zealand's soldiers on foreign soil.
"The courage displayed by the New Zealand soldiers at Passchendaele was extraordinary and made more so by the fact they were ordinary men.
"New Zealanders from all walks fought and gave up their lives. Amongst them were farmers, lawyers, plumbers, even All Blacks."
One of the victims of the Battle of Broodseinde eight days before the Passchendaele tragedy was Dave Gallaher, the first All Blacks captain who led the All Blacks, known as the Originals, on their tour of Britain and France in 1905 and 1906.
He died on October 4, 1917, one of 10 All Blacks to die in World War 1.
The battles of Broodseinde and Passchendaele were part of the British offensive known as the Third Battle of Ypres which began on July 31 and ended on November 17.
The Battle of Broodseinde, although highly successful when the New Zealand Division advanced the British Line by nearly 2000 metres, was also very costly.
By the end of the battle 1853 New Zealand soldiers were casualties, including 449 dead.
In the Battle of Passchendaele, eight days later, New Zealand casualties were 2800, including 846 killed. A further 138 died in the next week.
New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel also joined hundreds of New Zealanders at the Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate in Belgium yesterday.
The Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing at Ypres is the focal point for remembering those who died in Flanders during WW1.
The names of 54,896 British and Commonwealth soldiers who have no known grave are engraved on Portland stone panels in a massive arched memorial.
NZDF personnel are also taking part in three ceremonies on October 12 (October 13 NZT) to mark the 90th anniversary of the battle of Passchendaele.
These will include a dawn service at Tyne Cot Cemetery, a small ceremony at Nine Elms cemetery where Dave Gallaher is buried, and a service at the New Zealand memorial at Graventafel.
www.stuff.co.nz/4235531a11.html
NZPA | Friday, 12 October 2007
A special commemorative service to mark the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Passchendaele was held at the National War Memorial in Wellington today.
On October 12, 1917, 2800 soldiers were killed, wounded or listed as missing during the Battle of Passchendaele in the small West Flanders town in Belgium - New Zealand's worst single military disaster.
Today Governor-General Anand Satyanand laid a wreath and principal defence chaplain John Neal conducted a commemorative service at the National War Memorial and Tomb of the Unknown Warrior.
Veterans Affairs Minister Rick Barker, who attended, said the service was about remembering the sacrifice of New Zealand's soldiers on foreign soil.
"The courage displayed by the New Zealand soldiers at Passchendaele was extraordinary and made more so by the fact they were ordinary men.
"New Zealanders from all walks fought and gave up their lives. Amongst them were farmers, lawyers, plumbers, even All Blacks."
One of the victims of the Battle of Broodseinde eight days before the Passchendaele tragedy was Dave Gallaher, the first All Blacks captain who led the All Blacks, known as the Originals, on their tour of Britain and France in 1905 and 1906.
He died on October 4, 1917, one of 10 All Blacks to die in World War 1.
The battles of Broodseinde and Passchendaele were part of the British offensive known as the Third Battle of Ypres which began on July 31 and ended on November 17.
The Battle of Broodseinde, although highly successful when the New Zealand Division advanced the British Line by nearly 2000 metres, was also very costly.
By the end of the battle 1853 New Zealand soldiers were casualties, including 449 dead.
In the Battle of Passchendaele, eight days later, New Zealand casualties were 2800, including 846 killed. A further 138 died in the next week.
New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel also joined hundreds of New Zealanders at the Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate in Belgium yesterday.
The Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing at Ypres is the focal point for remembering those who died in Flanders during WW1.
The names of 54,896 British and Commonwealth soldiers who have no known grave are engraved on Portland stone panels in a massive arched memorial.
NZDF personnel are also taking part in three ceremonies on October 12 (October 13 NZT) to mark the 90th anniversary of the battle of Passchendaele.
These will include a dawn service at Tyne Cot Cemetery, a small ceremony at Nine Elms cemetery where Dave Gallaher is buried, and a service at the New Zealand memorial at Graventafel.
www.stuff.co.nz/4235531a11.html
