Jacqueline Makee works on the large scale figure of Spencer Westmacott, part of the Scale Of Our War exhibition.
Jacqueline Makee works on the large scale figure of Spencer Westmacott, part of the Scale Of Our War exhibition.
As we celebrate Christmas we can be thankful our green and pleasant land isn't embroiled in war like many other countries.
We might also reflect on how different December 25 would have been a century ago as 1918 rolled to a rocky end.
What a year it had been!
Just six weeks earlier, on November 11, World War I had ended after more than four years of often futile fighting.
The war's end was cause for celebration, but families weren't even close to being reunited. The world was in turmoil and there were insufficient ships to bring home those who'd served overseas. The last ones didn't set foot on New Zealand soil till 1921.
Even the four lucky horses that returned arrived in 1920. Beauty, Bess, Dolly and Nigger were among about 10,000 mounts secured for the war effort.
Of the survivors in Europe, many stayed in the Middle East and faced futures so uncertain many NZ Mounted Riflemen decided death for their trusted mounts would be better.
Kiwi soldiers enjoy Christmas dinner at Rafa, Sinai Peninsula, December 25, 1918.
Almost a fortnight after Armistice Day, on November 22, more Kiwis died from a vicious strain of influenza than on any other day in the epidemic. Dubbed the Spanish Flu, it killed an estimated 50 to 100 million around the world and 9000 nationwide, half as many Kiwis as died in WWI.
The war killed about 17 million, about 17 times New Zealand's population which, at the time, was just over a million.
Nearly a fifth of the 100,000 or so Kiwis who served died. Almost half suffered wounds or illness.
Thus Christmas Day 1918 would have been bittersweet. The war had ended and the flu was dwindling, but many would have been mourning those lost forever and missing family and friends on the other side of the world. Every life would have been touched.
As we hear each Anzac Day and have heard in coverage of recent centenaries of WWI conflicts – Passchendaele, Gallipoli, the Somme, Le Quesnoy, Messines and others: We will remember them.
At Wellington's Te Papa Museum, The Scale of Our War helps us do that.
This exhibit by Weta Workshop brings Gallipoli to vivid life. Moving coloured lights on a model of Gallipoli Peninsula show the advances and retreats of the Anzacs and Turks, while massive models of eight service people bring the humanity of the war to the fore.
The Scale of Our War closes in April. Go before it's too late.
The farmer and I just managed to visit the now-closed WWI exhibition at the Wellington War Memorial created by Peter Jackson and his formidable team. Again, it made WWI feel real – never celebrating, always remembering, often evoking emotion.
A real life guide and holograms of soldiers, exuding both bravado and fear, led us through trenches, plus memorabilia and models depicted war scenes. It was moving and impeccable.
It's disappointing that Wellington City Council and Jackson couldn't agree on a future home for it, but never mind. Let's count one big blessing: In 1918 the Allies and Germany did agree to the Armistice that ended World War I.
Yes, I know. Christmas is a time to be jolly and right now you may feel I'm on a par with the Grinch who stole Christmas. But surely to feel jolly we need to know other emotions, and I couldn't let 2018 end without acknowledging that a century ago people were grappling with life-changing and heartbreaking events.
We are lucky people. Long may this last. Have a joyful Christmas and a magical summer.
