NZ's most tragic day marked in Belgium

Bugler Sergeant Stephen Pilkington plays the Last Post on the Cross of Sacrifice 12 October 2007

Around 200 New Zealanders gathered today at Tyne Cot Cemetery in Belgium to mark New Zealand’s most tragic day - October 12 1917.

The dawn service held in the light mist at Tyne Cot Cemetery was the first of three ceremonies held to mark the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Passchendaele when more than 2800 New Zealand soldiers were killed, wounded or listed as missing in action in just two hours during World War One.

The ceremony was officiated by New Zealand Army Chaplain Don Parker and attended by the Chief of Army Major General Lou Gardiner, New Zealand Ambassador to Belgium His Excellency Mr Peter Kennedy and former RNZRSA President John Campbell. Defence Force (NZDF) personnel formed an honour guard and Air Force bugler Sergeant Stephen Pilkington played the Last Post and Reveille.

“October 12 1917 is a significant date in New Zealand’s history where more people died, were wounded or went missing on a single day than any other day in our history. It is important that we remember the courage exhibited by the soldiers who fought and died here.” said Major General Gardiner.

“Their courage, comradeship, commitment and integrity are values we continue in the Defence Force today.”

Tyne Cot is the largest Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery in the world with nearly 12,000 graves, including 519 New Zealanders, 322 of them unidentified.

The NZDF personnel took part in two further ceremonies on October 12 to mark the 90th anniversary of the battle of Passchendaele including a small ceremony at Nine Elms cemetery where ex-All Black captain Dave Gallaher is buried and a service at the New Zealand memorial at ‘s Graventafel.

ENDS

For further information please contact Ally Clelland, Defence Public Relations 006421 569 130.

For further photographs please visit the image gallery

A full media kit on Passchendaele is also available.

Background

The Third Battle of Ypres, also known as Passchendaele, was one of the major battles of World War I, fought by British, ANZAC and Canadian soldiers against the German Army in 1917. The aim of the battle was to break through the German defences and capture Passchendaele Ridge then drive north to the Belgian coast and capture the German submarine bases there. After three months of fierce fighting the town was finally taken by the Canadian forces, but the allies suffered almost half a million casualties, and the Germans almost a quarter of a million.

Allied soldiers who lost their lives at Passchendaele are commemorated at the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres, the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing and at the Tyne Cot and neighbouring Commonwealth War Graves cemeteries.