Krishna Buckman with the Anzac display she has created in her garden. Photo / Kit Wilson
Krishna Buckman with the Anzac display she has created in her garden. Photo / Kit Wilson
Not being able to gather for a traditional Anzac Day ceremony has not deterred Krishna Buckman who lives with her husband Warwick on Reservoir Rd.
Krishna is a member of Waihi Heritage Vision, the group which was responsible for the Tunnelling Company Memorial at Gilmour Reserve where Anzac Day events are held each year.
This year, as with all other Anzac Day events in Aotearoa New Zealand, there will be no public gathering at the New Zealand Tunnelling Company Memorial.
Instead, Krishna has constructed an impressive display in her garden, in recognition of the World War I nurses who served overseas and in support for New Zealand's present-day frontline health workers.
Krishna drew her inspiration from the 103rd Battle of Arras commemorations which went ahead in France on April 9, but in a form not previously seen.
Speaking in a pre-recorded message shown on the Carrière Wellington Museum's Facebook page, the mayor of Arras, M. Frédéric Leturque, spoke about enduring Arras-New Zealand relationships and also about the need to acknowledge the different battle that is currently making us stay home.
In French, he spoke of the soldiers in white who have replaced the soldiers in khaki.
"That seemed to me to be a very apt description of our present situation," said Krishna, "the 'soldiers in white replacing the soldiers in khaki', and this became the inspiration for the display, acknowledging health workers past and present."
As an example, Krishna recalls the story of Hokitika-born Sister Laura James who was one of the nurses serving in the Arras area where she was in charge of a field ambulance.
Later all of the equipment she looked after was sent to the Arras underground medical facility built by the New Zealand tunnellers. Sister Laura James would receive a Military Medal for action that took place during the Battle of Arras.
Krishna Buckman with the Anzac display she has created honouring frontline health workers. Photo / Kit Wilson
Her Military Medal Citation reads:
On the night of 3rd May 1917, when Arras was being heavily shelled, Sister Laura James showed great courage, and by her coolness and devotion to duty succeeded in allaying the fears of the patients under her charge. She refused to leave the ward, although the hospital had been hit several times, 3 men being killed and 14 wounded. She was only prevailed on to leave when all the patients had been safely evacuated. London Gazette, 18 July 1917.
"On April 25, Anzac Day, as people stand at their gate at dawn, separately but together, Tunnellers will join in solidarity with Arras in remembrance and support of all essential workers in a Covid-19 world. Together, we will get through this," Krishna said.
