100th anniversary of NZ’s entry into the Western Front in WWI

British Mark I male tank near Thiepval 25 September 1916. (Public domain image from the collection of the Imperial War Museum)

Lindsay Merritt Inglis. (Image: National Library)

Lieutenant Hēnare Mokena Kōhere of the 2nd Māori Contingent New Zealand Māori Pioneer Battalion. Died France on 16 September 1916. (Photo Auckland Weekly News)

Memorial window in St Mary’s Church Tikitiki commemorating Lieutenant Hēnare Kōhere and Captain Pekama Kaa.

On September 15 New Zealand marks the centenary of the New Zealand Division’s entry into fighting on the Somme in Northern France in 1916.

Commemorative services will be held in France on the 15^th and on Sunday  the 18th at Pukeahu National War Memorial in Wellington. 

The National Archive of Film, Television and Sound - Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision also has a couple of activities planned to mark this centenary and Sarah Johnston from Ngā Taonga joined Jesse Mulligan to play some sound recordings related to the events of 100 years ago next week.