Overview of New Zealand's role in The First World War 1914-18, from Gallipoli to the Final 100 Days Offensive.

1. New Zealand’s Involvement in World War I

2. Why did New Zealand become involved in World War I? New Zealand became involved in the Great War (W.W. I) as the result of decisions made by the british. As part of the British Empire, New Zealand was committed by King George V’s declaration of war on August 4, 1914. In this crisis, New Zealand did not hesitate, offering to raise an expeditionary force immediately for service in Europe. Imperial patriotism was reason for this response, reinforced by considerations of self-interest. New Zealand’s livelihood depended on her trade with Britain. Also, British power made New Zealand secure.

3. Soon after the start of World War I, a N.Z. expeditionary force, intended for France, was recruited. It was drawn from the 25,000 members of the recently formed Territorial Force. This expeditionary force combined battalions of infantry, four mounted rifle regiments, a field artillery brigade with ammunition column and other ancillary Arms. It left New Zealand on October 14, 1914 under the command Major General Godley. Sailing with him were 8,427 officers & men and 3,815 horses. The N.Z. contingent linked up with an even larger Australian force to travel to Europe. While their convoy was at sea, they were redirected to Egypt, where they arrived on December 3,1914.

4. Departure of N.Z. troops October, 1914

5. Gallipoli Peninsula

6. The Gallipoli strategy

7. On April 25, 1915 the New Zealanders (who had joined with the Australian forces to form the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps - ANZAC) landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula, where for the next 8 months they fought alongside the Australians in a desperate campaign against the Turks.

8. ANZAC landing at Gallipoli April, 1915

9. ANZAC landing at Gallipoli April, 1915

10. ANZAC Cove

11. N.Z. soldiers at Gallipoli 1915

12. Notwithstanding the fine effort on the part of the ANZACs, a stalemate was quickly reached. For the soldiers, trench warfare in conditions of physical hardship and extremes of climate became the norm. Worse, they found themselves confined to an extremely small area. Few of the ANZAC trench systems ever penetrated further than 2,000 metres from the shoreline.

13. N.Z. soldiers in a Firing trench

14. N.Z. soldiers firing a cannon at Turkish positions

15. One of the most inspiring actions ever performed by New Zealand soldiers took place on Gallipoli when they stormed the heights overlooking the ANZAC lines. On 8 August 1915, New Zealanders attacked a feature called Chunuk Bair, the strategic key to the Peninsula . They reached the top of Chunuk Bair, but strong Turkish counter attacks led to bitter fighting with the New Zealanders taking heavy casualties and eventually being forced to withdraw. The New Zealand Infantry and Mounted Rifle Brigades started the battle for Chunuk Bair with 4,549 men. After two days of heavy fighting they were reduced to a strength of 2,678.

16. N.Z. soldiers mounting an attack on Turkish positions on Chunuk Bair

17. The Wellington Battalion led the assault at 4.30 a.m. on the morning of 8 August. "Of the 760 of the Wellington Battalion who had captured the height that morning, there came out only 70 unwounded or slightly wounded men. Through out the day not one had dreamed of leaving his post. Their uniforms were torn, their knees broken. They had had no water since the morning: they could talk only in whispers: their eves were sunken: their knees trembled: some broke down and cried like children". - C. E. W. Bean, the official Australian War Historian: August 8 was a day of tragedy for New Zealand, but no day in our calendar shines with greater glory". - The Official New Zealand War History records

18. After eight months of this trench stalemate, the ANZAC forces were withdrawn from the Peninsula. 3,491 men of the Australian and New Zealand Division were withdrawn off the beaches on the night of 18/19 December 1915 and the remaining 3,000 on the following night.

19. ANZAC evacuation from Gallipoli

20. Gallipoli medal Between April 25 and December 19,1915 N.Z. suffered 7,473 casualties at Gallipoli – 2,721 dead and 4,752 wounded.

21. N.Z. memorial at Chunuk Bair

22. After Gallipoli, the New Zealand Division was ordered to France to help the British and French in their struggle against the Germans. The first New Zealanders arrived at the Western Front in April 1916 and they quickly became accustomed to trench warfare on the battlefields of France and Belgium.

23. Their first major action was in the closing stages of the Somme offensive in September 1916: in 23 days of fighting 1,560 New Zealanders were killed and 5,440 were wounded. Stretcher bearers carry a wounded soldier off the battlefield

24. During 1917 the N.Z. Division took part in the battles for Messines and Passchendaele, again taking heavy casualties. The winter of 1917-18 was spent in the Polygon Wood sector - these "quiet" winter months alone cost nearly 3,000 casualties.

25. The western Front 1916 – 1918 France Belgium Germany

26. With a steady stream of reinforcements arriving from New Zealand, the Division was able to maintain its four-battalion brigades (other allied divisions having three-battalion brigades) and it became the strongest division on the Western Front. N.Z. Division at Trentham Training Camp before leaving for Europe in 1917

27. N.Z. reinforcements land at a French port in October, 1917

28. In March 1918, the Germans launched an offensive and the capture of the French town of Amiens seemed certain. The New Zealanders were rushed to fill this gap and they gradually managed to gain the upper hand against the advancing Germans. As a result the British front line was stabilised. For the next four months the Division held part of the line defending Amiens. New Zealanders at the frontline

29. The Battle for Amiens

30. In mid-1918 the Allies launched a counter-offensive which eventually led to the German army surrendering in November, 1918. The war was finally over. Nearly 13,000 New Zealanders lost their lives in fighting on the Western Front. Britain was grateful for New Zealand’s support and her contribution to the allied war effort. The New Zealand forces returned home. The country counted the cost.

31. N.Z. troops march past Buckingham Palace May, 1919

32. Casualties During the First World War, 100,444 troops left New Zealand for service with the expeditionary forces: of these, 16,697 lost their lives and 41,317 were wounded - a 58 percent casualty rate.

33. "Killed in Action" said the cable, That is all the tale they tell Of the brave young lad who loved us Of the lad we loved so well. How the life was sped we know not, What the last word, look or thought, Only that he did his duty Died as bravely as he fought.

34. Memorial for N.Z. soldiers Killed in action on the Western Front – one of seven located at each of the major battlefields

35. There are approximately 500 war memorials in New Zealand which are dedicated to the memory of the thousands of New Zealanders who were killed in action during World War I. Nearly every town and city has one – usually situated in its main street. Wellington

36. Christchurch

37. Oamaru Tongariro National Park

38. Waipukurau Norsewood