Memorial to Victor Spencer at the Ypres Museum in the Cloth Hall. The carved box contains the pardon from the New Zealand government.
The Baradene College students placed a wreath on the grave of a New Zealand soldier named John King in a cemetery in northern France. He was executed because he deserted. He was the first New Zealand soldier to be executed during WWI.
Photo of our book. Today we were able to get the book from the printing company.
The book cover has an image by a New Zealand artist John Z. Robinson. The image is a linocut print. The image is of Field Punishment No.1. This punishment was used to discipline soldiers and four of the New Zealand concientious objectors were also made to undergo this for periods of 28 days at a time.
Another preview of our book. This time the pages show photos of Archibald Baxter and Mark Briggs (two conscientious objectors sent to the Western Front) and a great photo we sourced from Puke Ariki Museum of a NZ soldier on the duckboard at the front line. Briggs was dragged over this, the nails on it digging into his flesh and creating huge wounds. Baxter was marched to the front line in order to try to "break his will" to resist military service. In the end he got left there, and wandered...
The photo shows pages from our book that we are publishing as part of our Shared Histories Project. The book will be launched when we are in Chauny, France. The photo shows a section of the book written by the French students in Chauny who researched the execution of a group of soldiers in Vingré. These are known as the Martyrs of Vingré [Martyrs de Vingré]. The book is bilingual in French and English.
Les Martyrs de Vingré sont six poilus, le caporal Paul Henry Floch et les soldats Jean...
Today was a visit to the printing company to look at the book being printed. It is going to be great. Our book, written by the French students in Chauny, France and the New Zealand students at Baradene College in Auckland New Zealand, is titled “La Bataille de la Conscience” [The Battle of Conscience] – 60 pages – ISBN 978-0-473-31621-1
The photos show the printing presses in the workshop where the book is being made.
Ces exécution s’inscrivent dans un contexte très particulier, celui des lendemains de la bataille des frontières (10-24 août 1914) où les troupes françaises sont mises en déroute et doivent retraiter dans des conditions particulièrement éprouvantes. Soldats ayant perdu contact avec leurs unités ou contestant les conditions d’engagement des troupes françaises, civils incapables de justifier leur présence : on sait encore aujourd’hui très peu de chose sur ces hommes, l’historiographie ayant...
We were asked to put a larger photo of this image form the National Archives so it can be read more easily. It has been annotated when decoded. Hopefully this will be clearer to look at. It is the telegram announcing the execution of New Zealand soldier, Private Victor Spencer. [Archive File: AD1 767 22.30.74 'Courts martial of Pvt Victor Manson Spencer'.]
Looking back at 2014, all I can think about is how lucky I have been. I feel so inspired by the generosity that was shown to me by so many amazing people and that took me on the journey of a lifetime. I have developed a great love for remembrance and history and have thoroughly enjoyed participating in French culture, language, and history. The Young Ambassadors tour really made me connect authentically with the spirit of those who served a century ago. Being there, where they were. Where they...
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