Museum News
New Zealand Military History
Explore New Zealand's military history and check out the latest museum news, events and exhibits, plus details of our latest aquisitions.
- Join The National Army Museum on Facebook
- National Army Museum Blog
- All Black Among the Fallen Remembered in Latest Exhibition
- New Home for Artefacts
- Beyond the Battlefield
- Return of the Stolen Gallantry Medals
- Canada and WWI Personal Effects Bags
- New Attraction for the Kids HQ
Join The National Army Museum on Facebook
The National Army Museum is pleased to announce the launch of a new Facebook Page for fans to share their photos and stories about their visits to the museum, and to find out more about activities, events and exhibitions at the museum.
Join Facebook today and become a fan of the National Army Museum Facebook Page.
National Army Museum Blog
In October 2009 we launched the National Army Museum Blog, providing up-to-date information on the latest activities, events and exhibitions at the museum, plus interviews and unique insight into what happens behind the scenes. For the very latest museum news, check out the Blog.
All Black Among Fallen Remembered in Latest Exhibition
18,000 New Zealanders lost their lives fighting on the Western Front during World War One. Of those who made the ultimate sacrifice, was Sergeant Dave Gallaher (32513) captain of the 1905 "Original All Blacks."
"Dave was a man of sterling worth....girded by great self determination and self control. He was a valuable friend and could be, I think, a remorseless foe. To us All Blacks his words would often be 'Give nothing away: take no chances'...."
Ernest Booth, member of the 1905 "Original All Blacks"
A picture of Gallaher's grave is one that features in the exhibition, "Passchendaele - the Belgians Have Not Forgotten", developed by the Memorial Museum Passchendale 1917, now open until 27th September at the National Army Museum.
Memorial Museum Curator, Franky Bostyn, says the Belgians are particularly pleased the National Army Museum agreed to host this travelling exhibition.
"It is appropriate that a museum dedicated to military history should host this exhibition honouring New Zealand's involvement in a campaign which led to your country's greatest military disaster, but also resulted in some of its greatest successes, without which, the world would have looked very different today.
"We were privileged, during the 90th commemorations of the Battle of Passchendaele, to host the exquisite exhibition developed by the Museum in Waiouru telling the New Zealand story of the battle and are pleased now to be able to return the favour with a Belgian tribute to the New Zealand sacrifice."
The exhibition - Passchendaele - the Belgians Have Not Forgotten - features unique copper sculptures, images and artefacts, audio-visual footage and story panels.
A diorama depicting attempts to save Dave Gallaher can be seen deep in the bowels of Memorial Museum Passchendaele, 1917. The scene is part of a replica dugout system modeled on those created by the New Zealanders forced to winter over, underground, where headquarters, communictaion posts, first aid stations and up to two thousand men were housed.
Dave Gallaher story. For more information visit this blog.
Beyond the Battlefield
The National Army Museum's Literary Trust Fund has been behind the release of a new book by Gerald Hensley titled "Beyond the Battlefield - New Zealand and its Allies 1939-1945. the book is being launched to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of war in Parliament on 3rd September.
The book examines a key oart of history during which time, under immense pressure of fighting a war on both sides of the world, the country moved from being a quiet and faraway outpost in the Commonwealth to a strong, independent nation playing an influential role in the shaping of the United Nations. New Zealand's sometimes rocky relationships with its wartime allies Great Britain, Australia and the United States during a period of great world turmoil are all exposed and explained in an engaging and thoughtful look into the human side of diplomacy - highlighting irritants, the cross comments, the subterfuge and intrigue that are real drivers of history.
Gerald Hensley was trained as a historian before he joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He served there for 20 years and was then appointed Permanent Head of the Prime Miinister's Department. In that role he worked for Sir Robert Muldoon and David Lange before becoming Co-ordinator for Domestic and External Security and later Secretary of Defence.
The launch is being supported by a series of free lectures throughout New Zealand during September. MORE
New Home for Artefacts
The National Army Museum's priceless Accoutrements and Social History Collection has a brand new home in the Waiouru Camp. The collection has been moved into a previously empty building which has been remodelled to suit the special needs of the collection and the requirements of a museum store.
Assistant Curator Chris Rapley said the new store represented a giant step in improved care for the large number of artefacts in the Accoutrements and Social History Collection. He said the new store had much better environmental controls, which was good for the objects and created a much more comfortable work setting.
Mr Rapley added that the store had been fitted with a mobile shelveing system which maximised storage potential and also made the objects much more accessible. "Gaining access to the objects is now extrememly easy, which will help with research enquiries from the public and also with sourcing objects for new exhibitions."
The collection shift, which had been weeks in the planning, was carried out during July, but thankfully the notorious Waiouru weather did not cause any problems, Mr Rapley said. "The weather was pretty good to us; it only snowed once."
"The shift itself went very smoothly, thanks in a large part to the help I had from other museum staff members. They were brilliant, I can't thank them enough."
Now all the objects are in place work will start on organising the storage and a complete inventory of the collection.
Picture: Assistant Curator Chris Rapley begins filling up the footwear storage with boots from World War One.
Return of the Stolen Gallantry Medals
NZ's medals of valour and honour are back at the National Army Museum.
Click on images to enlarge.
Canada and WWI Personal Effects Bags
The National Army Museum has recently bid farewell to its latest Canadian intern Kylie Cumming who has spent the last six months working on the institution's priceless collection. Kylie was the Museum's 8th intern from the "Young Canada works at Building Careers in Heritage" internship programme and during her time in Waiouru she focused mainly on researching and enhancing pre-existing information on artefacts in the textiles collection.
We asked Kylie to tell us a little about her experiences and this is what she wrote:
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Kylie working in the Museum's Textiles department. |
My hometown is Williamstown, Ontario, which is a tiny, historic village nestled along the Quebec border. I grew up on an Ayrshire dairy farm. I'm the oldest of four children, and my hobbies include highland and step dancing, writing and other creative pursuits, music and playing the guitar, to name a few.
I studied History and English Language and Literature at Queen's University and finished an MA in War Studies at the Royal Military College. Throughout my studies, I've been interested in themes of memory and identity and how they are created and commmunicated to a larger group of people, and its fascinating to see how all of this translates to museums.
The parallels between Canada and New Zealand are striking, especially in the way distinct, national identities were created and tested through the devastating experience of war. At the National Army Museum I was involved with a variety of tasks, and felt like I was part of a wonderful team of people with diverse life experiences and areas of expertise.
My projects at the museum mainly focused on researching and enhancing pre-existing information on artefacts in the textiles collection. A specific example of my tasks included the researching of a proper storage method for personal effects bags from the First World War. These bags and their contents within, symbolise an individual llife that was lost. Researching the provenance of these artefacts also gave me the opportunity to learn more about specific battles and important events in New Zealand's military and cultural history.
During my time in New Zealand I nursed massive addictions to the finer aspects of 'Kiwiana', especially your meat pies, Milo, Black Forest chocolate bars, gingerbeer and L & P! It was particularly interesting to experience both New Zealand military culture and New Zealand small town culture, as they are aspects of Kiwi life the average tourist rarely gets to experience. I really enjoyed my time in Waiouru and am grateful to the National Army Museum and the Canadian Museums Association for this excellent opportunity.
The National Army Museum thanks Kylie for her great work and contagious bubbly personality while part of our team and wishes her every success in her future chosen profession.
New Attraction for the Kids HQ
The National Army Museum's interactive Kids Headquarters or HQ has proved a real hit for families who visit in the weekends and school holidays and now features an exciting new attraction.
Visitors can now enjoy a hands-on experience in a life sized model World War One trench that includes its own tunnel, periscopes and rifle.
The trench is intended to not only provide some fun for the family but to give an idea of what the soldiers might have experienced in places like Gallopoli where the sound of gunfire noise and confusion only experienced on the battlefield is simulated, together with the use of periscope rifles which can be found on our trench, were common on the battlefield.
Other popular activities in the Kids HQ include the Army 'Q' store that will fit you out with all your uniform needs, a communication hut, small UN jeep for the young ones to ride on, activity books and puzzles.
Check out the latest New Zealand military history news and events for the National Army Museum.
Corner State Highway One
and Hassett Drive
Waiouru, New Zealand
Ph: +64 6 387 6911
Fax: +64 6 387 6319
