Rotorua Museum remembers WWI through community treasures
[Photos L-R]
- Catholic religious items and telegram confirming William Forrest's death, about 1914. Courtesy of the Liley Family
- Gallipoli Medallion (front), awarded in 1967 to Horace Taylor for his service at Gallipoli. Courtesy of Kay Taylor
- Horace Taylor, Mounted Rifleman, about 1914. Photographer unknown, courtesy of Kay Taylor
One hundred years ago New Zealanders travelled across the globe to fight in World War One. A new Rotorua Museum exhibition opened this week, Great War Stories - Rotorua remembers World War One,' tells some of the many powerful and diverse stories from the Great War through objects and memories contributed by the Rotorua community.
We will remember them - Ka maumahara tonu tātau ki a rātou
From 1914-1918 World War One saw the death of millions and left the world a radically different place - its impacts rippling throughout communities and across generations. Six out of every ten New Zealanders who went to war died or were wounded. Over the four years of the war 18,000 New Zealanders lost their lives and a further 42,000 were wounded at such infamous battles as Gallipoli, Passchendaele and on the Western Front.
As part of New Zealand's one hundred year commemorations of World War One, Great War Stories' reflects on these sacrifices and the wider impacts of the war through stories and treasures shared by Rotorua families.
Curator of the exhibition, Chris Rapley said Great War Stories was a true community based display which would not have been possible without the people of Rotorua. The community has been incredibly generous loaning objects and sharing their stories for this exhibition, he said.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.
Robert Laurence Binyon, For the Fallen (excerpt), 1914.
Great War Stories' is on at Rotorua Museum until 2 November 2014. Entry is included with Museum admission. Adults $20, seniors $18 and children $8. Entry for Rotorua residents is free with appropriate ID.