12 Oct 2017

Share this story

The Kiwis soldiers who died 100 years ago in one of the bloodiest battles of World War 1 have been honoured at a memorial service at Christchurch’s Bridge of Remembrance.

A solemn crowd gathered at the Bridge this morning to commemorate the centenary of the deadly assault on the tiny Belgian village of Passchendaele which resulted in the deaths of 843 Kiwi soldiers.

A commemorative plaque has been unveiled to mark the centenary of the Battle of Passchendaele.

The Christchurch Memorial RSA organised this morning’s memorial service which started with two minutes of silence.

“This day is our country’s darkest day. Simple mathematics show that, on average, one man died every 20 seconds in that battle,’’ Christchurch Memorial RSA President Pete Dawson told the crowd.

Mayor Lianne Dalziel, who prior to the service joined the honorary Belgian consul to unveil a commemorative plaque and plant a cherry tree in the Park of Remembrance, said nearly every family in New Zealand had been affected by the tragic loss of life at Passchendaele.

“The centenary of the First World War has given us pause to reflect on the magnitude of the sacrifice that was made. But Passchendaele strikes a chord like no other,’’ the Mayor said.

“The first, second and third battalions of the Canterbury regiment formed one of the four regional infantry groups fighting on the western front and on Passchendaele 100 years ago. Two hundred and ninety-seven died on that day and another 109 died later of injuries sustained on that day.

“This Great War was not the war to end all wars as they had hoped it would be. Let us commit, therefore, to making peace in the name of the fallen – to give meaning to the lives lost by securing a peace to end all wars. I believe that is the best way to honour the sacrifice made at Passchendaele."