Troops waiting to board troopship No. 10 (the Arawa) at Wellington on September 24, 1914. (NZ Herald Archive)
Troops waiting to board troopship No. 10 (the Arawa) at Wellington on September 24, 1914. (NZ Herald Archive)
The New Zealand Division, and their brilliant leader Major-General Sir Andrew Russell, are our combined New Zealanders of the Year from 1916-18.
Formed in Egypt - after the faultless evacuation from Gallipoli organised by Russell - the division was moved to the Western Front, where it won renown as one of the best, if not the best, fighting units on either side in that bloody and unforgiving theatre of war.
Battle honours included the Somme, Flers, Messines, Passchendaele, Bapaume and La Quesnoy and the casualty list was long - more than 12,000 killed.
Two months before the war ended, the Herald summed up the achievements of the division when it marked the anniversary of the New Zealanders' baptism of fire on the Western Front at Flers.
In the years of fighting since then, they had achieved everything, and more, that they were asked.
As well as the effectiveness of the unit, many individuals stood out for their personal courage including 10 who were awarded the VC.
At the head of them all was Major-General Russell who, says Jock Vennell in his book The Forgotten General, should be remembered as "a military commander of the first rank, who led New Zealand forces for four unbroken years of war".
Russell and his men are our New Zealanders of the Year for 1916, 1917 and 1918.
Victoria Cross Winners: Sergeant Donald Brown, Flers, France 1916 Lance-Corporal Samuel Frickleton, Messines, Belgium 1917 Corporal Leslie Andrew, La Bassee Ville, Belgium 1917 Private Henry Nicholas, Polderhoek, Belgium 1917 Sergeant Richard Travis, Rossignol Wood, France 1918 Sergeant Samuel Forsyth, Grevillers, France 1918 Sergeant Reginald Judson, Bapaume, France 1918 Private James Crichton, Crevecoeur, France 1918 Sergeant Henry Laurent, Gouzeaucourt Wood, France 1918 Sergeant John Grant, Bancourt, France 1918
IN HINDSIGHT
1916:
On the home front
Apirana Ngata and Lady Heni Carroll (wife of Sir James), helped recruit Maori troops. (Alexander Turnbull Library, NZ Herald Archives)
Of special significance was the work of Apirana Ngata, Maui Pomare and other Maori MPs in recruiting Maori troops and having them grouped in a Maori battalion, which was to win fame on the Western Front and in World War II.
A significant role was also played by Heni Mataroa Carroll who, as well as helping to recruit troops, raised funds to send gifts of food and money to the warriors serving on the other side of the world.
1917
Courage of a different order
Ettie Rout (hatless), with her Volunteer Sisterhood, nursed wounded men but was vilified for supporting safe sex. (Alexander Turnbull Library)
Ettie Rout, a campaigner for safe sex and contraception, had moral courage of the same magnitude as the bravery of many a medal-winner in battle.
She established the New Zealand Volunteer Sisterhood, to nurse men wounded in battle but, on recognising the high rate of venereal disease among the troops, urged the official adoption of condoms. The answer was no, and for her troubles, Rout was vilified at home. Prime Minister William Massey, under pressure from a delegation of women, promised to stop her.
Undeterred she set up her own scheme and was honoured for it by the French Government despite being despised by some in her own country. With hindsight, then, Ettie Rout is added to our New Zealanders of the Year for 1917.
1918
Beloved physician
Dr Margaret Cruickshank, who gave her life fighting the influenza epidemic. (C Newman collection, Canterbury Museum)
In his history of the epidemic, Black November, Geoffrey Rice says Maori suffered worst, losing about 4 per cent of their population in the last eight weeks of the year.
Many brave people did what they could to battle against the epidemic, without glory, fanfare or medals; doctors, nurses and local committees. None stood out more than Dr Margaret Cruickshank of Waimate who gave her life fighting against the epidemic.
Cruickshank was the second woman to graduate in medicine at Otago University, after her friend Emily Siedeberg.
She had joined Dr H.C. Barclay as a partner in general practice before the war and when he volunteered for the army medical corps, she was left on her own.
When the epidemic hit, says Rice, she was already tired and overworked and when her driver became ill she rode to her house calls on bicycle or horseback.
Eventually she caught the flu herself and died in late November. The citizens of Waimate erected a statue in her honour which bears the inscription: The Beloved Physician Faithful unto Death
The beloved physician is added to our list of New Zealanders of the Year for 1918.
