My To-Do list just grew exponentially. After a day in Wellington meeting with the 2016 Young Ambassadors, organisers and teacher mentors I’ve got a list of things I want to research and accomplish that is the size of the Magna Charta. Top 3 are:
#1 The Pioneer Battalion – anyone from my whakapapa in there? Chart their journey. Who made it home? Why were they not given the same pension, rights and recognition as the other kiwis that fought in WWI? Why are there photos of them manning anti-air craft guns if they were there as “support”? They dug the trenches and latrines (as well as all their other tasks) – they earned the name of “Diggers” just as much as the Aussies… so why aren’t we talking about them more?
#3 Get my students started on their interview project. They all have ancestors that survived WWI and we have a duty to remember their involvement. I would really like to learn more about the non-kiwi ancestors of boys in our community. Who, where, how did their families deal with the aftermath of it?