2014 was a whirlwind of a year for many reasons, but none so significant as being part of the Shared Histories project as a Young Ambassador. This role took me to many places both literally and metaphorically that I never dreamed I would be able to experience in my last year of high school. Though the experience of being in France and Belgium is now over, the memories we made and things we learnt will last forever.
I had always considered myself to be relatively knowledgable about WWI and...
In New Zealand’s National Archives in Wellington, there is a military file about two French soldiers who deserted in New Zealand during the First World War, a soldier named Scottez and another soldier named Valentin Franco.
The first was a soldier called Scottez who escaped from Military Custody on board the ‘S.S. Moana”, a boat transporting him from Tahiti to New Caledonia via Wellington and Sydney, while it was berthed in Wellington on 23 April 1915. He was being transported with four...
French pupils started to work on our project this week. They had to study the biographies of two soldiers from Nelson and buried in our local cemetery. We have access to their military and medical information thanks to the Archives New Zealand website. Pupils experienced a new kind of exercice. They had to work on primary sources in history, and, since documents were partly legible, the first task was to decipher them. They took it like a game, as if they were investigators of the past. Even if...
Thursday the 4th of December saw me get the opportunity to visit two classes at Saint Mary's College in Wellington. I presented an overview of our trip earlier in the year and explained Shared Histories mission and projects. During the time I got asked many great questions by the year 9 and year 10 classes and saw a real engagement with the topic.
It was an absolute pleasure getting to talk to them and i hope to be able to talk to other schools if I get the chance.
photo of me and the...
Waimea College students have begun connecting with their new friends at Val de Seine, via all manner of platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and emails. Family photos and pics of beloved pets are shared, first friendships are formed. It’s wonderful to see them come into school with news of their latest exchanges and how excited both sides are to establish this connection and begin our project.
We are very fortunate to have a wonderful Library and Information Centre at Waimea College and its’...
We decided to take part in a research project involving a family member who was in the First World War. We created a booklet including all of the information we had found, searching online. A few of us couldn't do a family member because they were either from different origins or their family wasn't involved in the war. Those students chose a soldier who fought for us, wasn't a family member, but was still a valued part of the Allies during the war. We found really interesting information...
2014 marks the 150th birthday of New Zealand's oldest Army regiment, Queen Alexandra's Mounted Rifle.
To mark this milestone, the regiment which is based at Linton, paraded around The Square in Palmerston North on Saturday.
Soldiers, riflemen on horseback and small tanks were all part of this spectacle which attracted many people from around the Manawatu, even on a day which was very drizzly and breezy! Governor General Sir Jerry Mateparae inspected the horses.
The QAMR served in both World...
Before I went on the Young Ambassadors Tour, I had an interview with the Manawatu Standard.
A man named John who saw the published article, got in touch with me through school. He asked me to take a picture of his uncle Donald Wallace Macnamara, and put it next to his name at the Caterpillar Valley Cemetery. I was more than happy to do this for him, as I could see it was of great importance to him and his family.
Visiting the Caterpillar Valley Cemetery was a very moving and emotional experience...
A short look back on what we did in France and Belgium in July while we were there for First World War commemorations.
Music is Trojans by Atlas Genius
Fresh crêpes, cobbled streets, photo booths and Parisiens smoking with cool refinement. Polished marble floors with a glassy sheen, wrought-iron lattices and metro stations flashing by in lights of dull grey. These are the things I remember about Paris. As soon as the Young Ambassadors touched down on French soil, we entered a place where history and modernity walk alive in the streets.
Our first week of the tour was a whirlwind of tourist attractions and grand military parades along with...
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