The war took approximately 100,000 New Zealanders overseas, many for the first time. Some anticipated a great adventure but found the reality very different. Being so far from home made these New Zealanders very aware of who they were and where they were from. In battle, they were able to compare themselves with men from other nations. Out of this, many have argued, came a sense of a separate identity, and many New Zealand soldiers began to refer to themselves as ‘Kiwis’.
Although the war ended at 11.00am on 11 November 1918, when the armistice signed a few hours before came into effect, New Zealanders continued to die from wounds received or disease contracted during the course of the war. Such deaths, if they occurred in the post-war period up to 31 August, 1921, were recognised as official war deaths.
Add new comment