THE FORGOTTEN GENERAL

THE FORGOTTEN GENERAL
This Sunday 21st April 2013 830pm on PRIME TV in NZ

Based on the book "The Forgotten General: New Zealand's WW1 Commander Major General Sir Andrew Russell" by Jock Vennell
see: http://vimeo.com/64354054

ANZAC day 2013

ANZAC day in Belgium will start at 06.00 AM with the Dawn Service at Polygon Wood. There is a shuttle bus service from the Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917 from 05.15 AM on.
This commemoration service is for Australians, New Zealanders and anyone else who is interested in the common history of the ANZACs.

The Ambassadors of Australia and New Zealand will attend the commemoration ceremony.
After the ceremony, the town of Zonnebeke offers you a breakfast.
After the breakfast there will be a ceremony at Tyne Cot Cemetery at 09.00 AM for the Australians.
The New Zealanders are leaving Zonnebeke at 08.20 to have their ceremony at 09.00 AM in Messines.
 There is a special Last Post at 11.00 AM under the Menin gate followed by a reception offered by the town of Ypres.

We hope to welcome as much as possible people from New Zealand and Australia who are traveling in Europe that time of the year.

Reburial

The remains of an unknown soldier from the First World War were discovered during excavations in April 2012 in Mesen, West Flanders.









 Based on objects recovered with the remains including unit insignia as well as the location of the find, the remains were accepted in August 2012 as that of an unidentified New Zealand soldier. A reburial service for the soldier was held on the morning of Monday 25 February 2013 at the Messines Ridge British Cemetery in Mesen. 


 












The service commenced at 9:30am. 
New Zealand had a high-level delegation at the reburial led by New Zealand’s Chief of Defence Force, Lt Gen R. R. (Rhys) Jones and New Zealand's Ambassador to Belgium, Paula Wilson. 

The soldier was reburied next to the grave of another unidentified New Zealand soldier whose remains were discovered in 2011 and for whom a similar reburial ceremony was held in February last year.

Reburial of NZ Soldier: Monday, 25 February 2013 9:30am

 

Messines Ridge British Cemetery, Nieuwkerkestraat, 8957 Mesen

The remains of an unknown soldier from the First World War were discovered during excavations in April 2012 in Mesen, West Flanders.  Based on objects recovered with the remains including unit insignia as well as the location of the find, the remains were accepted in August 2012 as that of an unidentified New Zealand soldier. 

A reburial service for the soldier will be held on the morning of Monday 25 February 2013 at the Messines Ridge British Cemetery in Mesen.  The service will commence at 9:30am.  New Zealand will have a high-level delegation at the reburial led by New Zealand’s Chief of Defence Force, Lt Gen R. R. (Rhys) Jones and New Zealand's Ambassador to Belgium, Paula Wilson.  The soldier will be reburied next to the grave of another unidentified New Zealand soldier whose remains were discovered in 2011 and for whom a similar reburial ceremony was held in February last year.

The reburial service is open to members of the public.  Individuals wishing to attend are asked to advise the New Zealand Embassy of their intention in order to assist preparations. 

When: Monday, 25 February at 9:30am

Where: Messines Ridge British Cemetery, Nieuwkerkestraat, 8957 Mesen

RSVPs or queries can be directed to Mr David Dewar, Second Secretary, New Zealand Embassy, Brussels (bruevents@mfat.govt.nz) or by phone on +32 (0)2 512 1040.

Snow on the NZ Battlefield

NZ RSA Poppy (c) P. Roets

's Graventafel (c) P. Roets

Scott's Post Polygon Wood (c) P.Roets

Tyne Cot from the Cross of Sacrifice (c) P.Roets

Tyne Cot from the rear (c) P.Roets

New Zealand’s Minister for Police and Corrections (and formerly Minister of Veterans Affairs), Judith Collins in Passchendaele

Today, H.E. Mrs Judith Collins came to visit the battlefields in and around Passchendaele and Polygon Wood, together with Ambassador Paula Wilson and staff from the High Commission in London and the NZ embassy in Belgium. Mr. Francis Claeys, CEO of Zonnebeke was welcoming the Minister and her Party.

Members of Parliament at Passchendaele

A delegation of four senior New Zealand Members of Parliament was visiting Passchendaele on 10 November 2012 . MPs Phil Goff, John Hayes, Paul Hutchison and Su'a William Sio. They were accompanied by Paula Wilson, New Zealand Ambassador-Designate to Belgium and David Dewar from the New Zealand Embassy in Brussels.

With a local re-enactor



Visiting the New Zealand Apse for the Missing at Tyne Cot




meet and greet
with LtCol Nick Gillard in the Old Cheese Factory before heading for Crest Farm

 The MP Delegation was visiting the Passchendaele Memorial Museum and was on the battlefield at Frezenberg, Wieltje, 's Graventafel en Belle Vue. But also on Tyne Cot Cemetery.   The MP delegation was guest of honour on our annual Crest Farm Ceremony. Every year at 6 pm on 10/11 we remember the end of the Battle of Passchendaele and the capture of Passchendaele by the Canadian Forces. Every year we remember not only a Canadian soldier by name but also soldiers from other Commonwealth Countries and a German soldier.   For New Zealand we commemorated George Knight  

You can find the text that was read by MP John Hayes during the Ceremony: 8/1532 Lieutenant George Bernard Knight
Otago Infanterie Regiment
Killed in Action, 12 oktober 1917

George Knight, a farm hand of Dannevirke, joined up on 20 December 1914, enlisting as a Private at Trentham Camp. He embarked on 14 February 1915 with the Third Reinforcements and after training in Egypt; he saw his first action at Gallipoli. In August 1915, he was hospitalised due to illness and after discharge from the hospital in Cairo, he was employed at the School of Instruction at Zeitoun Camp.

In February 1916 he was promoted to Lance Corporal and embarked for France in April 1916. He was promoted to Corporal and was wounded in action at Armentieres. After a period of convalescence in England and further training, he was promoted to Sergeant. He was a natural leader with ability and charm, and seemed to influence all those around him. Two months later he was nominated for officer training and on 15 June 1917, he attained the rank of Second Lieutenant.

Five days later he left for Etaples in France and joined the 2nd Battalion, Otago Infantry Regiment ‘in the field’. From this point on he was involved in much of the heavy fighting and on 12 October 1917, it was his turn to go ‘over the top’ up Bellevue Spur, towards the tiny village of Passchendaele. Leading his men, as commander of 8th (Southland) Company in the 2nd Battalion Otago he was at the centre of the first wave. He encountered the impenetrable wire and he was cut down by a burst of machine gun fire only feet from the enemy positions. His body was never recovered and on his Service Record, it states: “Many of these men were buried by stretcher bearers where they fell, to right and left of road beyond Waterloo Farm across Ravebeek and up towards cross roads”.

The casualties incurred by the New Zealand Division on 12 October were approximately 2,730 !

Nearly every New Zealand family was affected by Passchendaele, or knew someone who was.

In less than four hours more than 60% of the New Zealanders who had taken part had become casualties. In terms of lives lost in a single day, this remains the blackest day in New Zealand’s post-1840 existence

on the evening of October 23 the Canadians, who were to play such a major role at Passchendaele, arrived to take over the New Zealand sector and other parts of the line.

What was left of the New Zealand Division retreated and Passchendaele was eventually taken by Canadian forces on 6 November after two further battles. The village had been completely destroyed. By the time the New Zealand Division was finally withdrawn from Flanders in February 1918 three Victoria Crosses had been awarded for bravery but they had suffered more than 18,000 casualties including around 5,000 deaths.

All in all 12,500 New Zealanders died on the Western Front out of the total of 18,188 who lost their lives in this war. The magnitude of the death toll in the First World War is put in perspective when it is realised that more soldiers were killed in this war than the total of the Boer War, World War Two and Vietnam combined.

The loss of George was another blow to his parents, Nellie and Herbert Knight, who had already lost their son Herbert Augustine at Gallipoli. The war was to bring further tragedy to the Knight family who later lost another son, William, on 1 September 1918 near Bancourt, France. George is commemorated on Tyne Cot Memorial, New Zealand Apse, Tyne Cot Cemetery, Passchendaele, Belgium.


MPs Phil Goff, Paul Hutchison and Su'a William Sio  laid a wreath on behalf of the Government and People of New Zealand.

Otago Mounted Rifles Beer !

Message from the Auckland Passchendaele Society

October 2012 E-DITION #6

Dear All Welcome to the Passchendaele Society’s 6th edition of E-News! If you are a new member, you can catch up on what we have been  doing on the Newsletters page of our website.

95th Commemorations The Commemoration of the 95th Anniversary of the Battle of Passchendaele took place on Friday 12th October at the  Auckland War Memorial Museum. There was a great turnout and the Hall of Memories was filled to capacity, the Museum estimated there were 350 to 400 people (including band and choir) by the number of seats they put out. The guests included the Minister of Veterans’ Affairs, Hon Nathan Guy, the National President of RNZRSA LtGen Don McIver, several Auckland Councillors, members of the Diplomatic Corps and local heads of the military Services.  Guest speakers this year were Professor Glyn Harper QSM and Lt. Col. Chris Powell ED. Glyn said “War is the destroyer of families and the Battle of Passchendaele destroyed more families than any other action in our military history” Our Vice-President Chris Mullane read a very graphic and moving poem by Wilfred Owen called Dulce et Decorum Est. Listen to this reading and then watch the video that comes after (a mixture of real and movie footage), very powerful! Be warned, for the first time in many years I was reduced to uncontrollable sobs! Another one of his famous poems was called Anthem for Doomed Youth, you can hear the reading here. It too is accompanied by some very moving images. The ceremony was followed by a Passchendaele Luncheon hosted by the Auckland Officers’ Club at the Northern Club, where Glyn Harper gave a creative presentation about some  of the photos he used in his recently released book “Images of the Great War”. World War One Centenary project announced Auckland Council announced a commemoration project  for the Centenary of World War One. A steering group will organise events for the period from 2014 to 2018.  These will include considering initiatives such as a World War One heritage trail on public parks and land. Chair of the Parks, Recreation and Heritage Forum, Councillor Sandra Coney, says cenotaphs, memorials and war graves will be cleaned, restored and where necessary upgraded for the centenary. She says we owe a huge debt to the young men and women of Auckland who sacrificed their lives, health and prospects for the country. RNZRSA affiliation At their Annual General meeting in Wellington on 15 to 17 October the National Council of the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services Association approved the admittance of the Passchendaele Society as an Affiliated Organisation  effective from 1 November. Ron Longley, Board member responsible for Related Organisations, represented our Society at the National Council meeting. He said to the meeting that the Passchendaele Society has a lot in common with the RSA. Ron also said on behalf of our Society that we are very proud to be affiliated to the RNZRSA. Chris Mullane was also in Wellington and briefed the National Council on the White Crosses Fields of Remembrance project. The concept was well received and at breaks during the rest of the day he was inundated by local RSA representatives from around the country wanting to discuss the project and how they can be involved. Many have asked for some of the white crosses from the 2009 Exhibition at Fort Takapuna in advance to the centenary commemorations so that they can emulate the Whangarei RSA who now enact a particularly wonderful annual commemoration event centred on the 650 white crosses they obtained from us back in November 2009. Royal visit A high level Belgian delegation led by HRH Prince Philippe will be coming to New Zealand towards the end of November. Four members of the Belgian Federal Government’s Organising Committee for World War One Centenary have joined this delegation and have asked to meet with Iain MacKenzie, our President of the Passchendaele Society to discuss commemoration plans. New Youth Ambassador The Passchendaele Society’s first Youth Ambassador Eve Bain laid a wreath at the Wellington ceremony on our behalf on October 12th. She said she enjoyed the Commemoration thoroughly and that there was “a 5-person choir whose performances I found moving, especially when they sung 'In Flanders Fields', the venue was beautiful” but that the “public attendance was quite low”. This year’s Y13 winner of the Veterans’ Affairs competition was Nathan Garry from Dunstan High School, Central Otago. He attended this year’s ceremony in Auckland and was presented with his prize by VA Minister Hon. Nathan Guy. You can read his winning entry here. Nathan Garry has accepted the invitation to become a Youth Ambassador, he said  “The opportunity to attend the Commemoration on 95th Anniversary of The Battle of Passchendaele was both an honour and a privilege. I would like to extend my thanks to all members of the Passchendaele Society who made this competition possible. I have gained from this experience in many ways. The encouragement of the competition gave me the motivation to delve into my past, through the research I gained an insight into not only the lives of those directly related to me but a better appreciation of how this tragedy affected communities around the country.” Portraits of Passchendaele A special thanks to the Auckland Suburban Newspapers  for their initiative in promoting the competition called  “Portraits of Passchendaele”.  The competition was aimed at youths under 16 to encourage  young people to find out about their ancestors’ involvement  in the Battle of Passchendaele.  Some of their stories can be read here. I was touched by what young Sam Molloy wrote  “Hundreds of people died in minutes and yet everyone just seems  to move on. To me, this is unacceptable and rather than trying  to forget all destruction that  occurred that day, we should embrace  all the amazing people who gave their lives to this country and  if there is one thing we shall not do,  it is to forget them, because if we did, they would have died for nothing“. Follow up stories before and after October 12th were also featured   in several Suburban Newspapers, contributing to a massive 400 hits  on our website on October 12th alone! How to contact us passchendaelesociety@clear.net.nz (Editor:  Sandi Notredame) Or telephone:- (09) 413 5322 (Hon. Secretary Bob Davis). or visit www.passchendaelesociety.org

Message from the New Zealand Embassy