Armistice Centenary 2018
Wednesday 7 November 8.00am Bus Tour of South Wairarapa Military Sites
Saturday 10 November 11.00am Tour of Featherston Soldiers’ Cemetery 1.00pm Author Event, Jock Phillips talks about and presents his book To the Memory 3.00pm Sculpture dedication starts with a re-enactment of part of the march over the Remutaka Hill from the Camp site to the sculpture 3.45pm The sculpture dedication begins 4.45pm Refreshments at the Kiwi Hall 5.30pm Screening of March On – the story of Featherston Military Training Camp
Sunday 11 November 10.55am Service at the Cenotaph 100th Anniversary of Armistice Day 12.00pm Refreshments at the Kiwi Hall 2.00pm Tour of Featherston Soldiers’ Cemetery 4.00pm Booktown event: Panel discussion with three prominent WW1 historians
1 to 30 November: Special Exhibitions Heritage Museum: The influenza pandemic of 1918 Fell Museum: Light rail on the Front Re-enactment of March from Featherston Military Training Camp to the Sculpture Site
Saturday 10 November 3pm Featherston Military Camp Site, SH2
Dedication, Blessing, Naming and Gifting of the Sculpture
Saturday 10 November 3:45pm Featherston Town Square/Sculpture site
Post-Ceremony Refreshments
Saturday 10 November 4.45pm Kiwi Hall, 62 Bell St, Featherston
[email protected] Guests of Honour:
Her Worship the Mayor of South Wairarapa Viv Napier
Hon Grant Robertson Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage
Kaumātua Nelson Rangi, Papawai Marae
Church of England Minister Rev. Merv Jones
Artists Paul and Fran Dibble
The Featherston Camp Sculpture will be formally named and gifted to the town of Featherston and the people of the nation on Saturday 10 November 2018.
The ceremony will start at 3pm with a short re-enactment of the ‘March over the Hill’ from the Camp site to the sculp- ture, accompanied by the Anzac Mounted Rifles; 5th/7th Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment; and the Combined Bands of the 7th Battalion & Masterton District Brass. Refreshments will be served afterward at the Kiwi Hall, 62 Bell Street. Screening of March On – the Story of Featherston Military Training Camp
Saturday 10 November 5.30pm Anzac Hall, 62 Bell Street, Featherston $5.00 (cash only) [email protected]
Film-maker Allan Honey and Featherston Camp historian Neil Frances produced this documentary in 2017, telling the story of New Zealand’s biggest-ever military camp, from its origins in 1915 until it was removed in the 1920s.
Over 60,000 soldiers trained in Featherston, for service on the Western Front and in the Palestine Campaign. Rein- forcement groups came to the Wairarapa and Featherston, and its subsidiaries at Tauherenikau, Papawai and Canvas Camp usually housed about 8,000 at a time.
The documentary producers will host a Q&A session after the screening. Armistice Day Centenary Service Featherston 11.11.2018
Sunday 11 November 10.55am (sharp) NB: Two minutes silence will be observed at 11am Featherston War Memorial, corner of Fitzherbert and Fox Streets Peter Jackson (RSA) 022 529 6600; or Barbara Gavin (SWDC) 06 306 9611 ext 832
With the Anzac Mounted Rifles, Schoolchildren’s Choir, 5th/7th Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regi- ment, 7th Battalion Band and the Featherston Gentlemen Singers
A commemorative event jointly organised by Featherston Memorial RSA Inc and South Wairarapa District Council, followed by refreshments at the Kiwi Hall. Bus Tour of South Wairarapa Military Sites with Neil Frances
Wednesday 7 November 8am-5pm Overflow date: Wednesday 31 October 8am-5pm Tranzit Masterton (Round Trip) $95 (coach, morning tea, lunch, local historian guide, all entries) Book through Tranzit Group, Masterton 06 370 6600 or freephone 0508 8726948 [email protected]
South Wairarapa has a rich military history relating to World War One. Join historian Neil Frances as we tour 12 locations familiar to the more than 70,000 soldiers who trained here from 1915–1918.
Among several sites in Featherston is the historic Anzac Hall, built in 1916, where we will enjoy morning tea. We will visit military camp locations and several camp buildings which survive, among them Kahutara Hall, where lunch will be served. The soldiers marched long distances as part of their training – we will only have to march a few metres but wear outdoor shoes and bring a warm jacket, just in case. You will hear happy and sad tales about our young men as they trained to fight in Europe or the Middle East a century ago. Neil has written four books about Wairarapa’s place in World War One history, including Safe Haven – the Story of Featherston Military Training Camp. Tours of Featherston Soldiers’ Cemetery with Adele
Saturday 10 November 11am; and Sunday 11 November 2pm Meet at Cemetery Gates, Western Lake Road FREE 06 379 6402 [email protected]
Adele Pentony-Graham provides a free service locating graves for people, photographing them and emailing details. She also puts people in touch with other useful contacts.
Adele is currently researching the WW1 Military Cemetery in Featherston. Come along and learn about the fascinating histories of the soldiers who are buried in the Featherston Soldiers’ Cemetery. Messines Bookshop presents Military History Author’s Event
Saturday 10 November 1pm Messines Bar & Restaurant, 57 Fox Street FREE [email protected] 021 753 920
Join Professor Dr. Jock Phillips, author of To The Memory: New Zealand’s War Memorials. Dr Jock Phillips tells the fascinating story of the people involved in erecting more than 1,000 memorials throughout New Zealand, and their reasons why.
Copies of the book, which Jock will sign, will be made available to buy. Featherston Booktown Event: ‘In The Shadow Of War’
Sunday 11 November 4pm-5:15pm Kiwi Hall, 62 Bell St, Featherston $15 – Please book on Eventfinda If tickets aren’t sold out, there will be door sales (cash only)
The eminent historian, Paul Ham, writing of Europe,said that: “The victory of 1918 destroyed our civilisation. Nothing can make that worthwhile.” New Zealand did not escape this destruction. Of the 100,00 Kiwis who served in WW1, almost 17,000 were killed and 41,000 were wounded – a 58 percent casuality rate - and the Great War ushered in significant changes for our wider society which impacted families, the role of women and our sense of national identity. In a Featherston Booktown event to mark the centenary of the Armistice, a panel of leading histori- ans will discuss the significance of the year 1918 - and the far-reaching consequences for our country through to the present day.
The panel will comprise Jane Tolerton (Wellington writer and co-founder of the World War I Oral History Archive), Neil Frances (Wairarapa’s leading military and aviation historian) and John Crawford (the New Zealand Defence Force Historian). The moderator will be Gerald Hensley (distinguished NZ diplomat and co-chair of the World War One Centenary History Project). 1918 Influenza Exhibition: Featherston Hertitage Museum
1 to 30 November, 10am-2pm daily Featherston Heritage Museum, 70 Fitzherbert St Gold coin donation, Children/students FREE [email protected] 021 263 9403
The Heritage Museum looks back 100 years to Black November 1918. The display focuses on the deadly influenza pandemic and its impact on locals, soldiers in the Featherston Military Training Camp and Armistice celebrations. It features the poignant stories of soldiers and medical staff struck down by the virus, many of whom are interred in the Featherston Cemetery.
Other displays include Featherston history, New Zealand at War 1914–1918, the Featherston Military Camps of WWI and WWII, and medical facilities provided by the Army at home and in the field. Light Rail on the Front: The Fell Locomotive Museum
1 to 30 November, Weekdays 10am-2.30pm Weekends 10am-4pm Fell Locomotive Museum, Cnr SH2 & Lyon St Adults $6, Child (under 5) $2, Family $13 [email protected] www.fellmuseum.org.nz 06 308 9379
How railways were a vital tool in the mobilisation, out- fitting and dispatching of military forces during WW1. Special attention will be given to the formation of the 5th (NZ) Light Railway Operating Company and the use of light rail at the front lines. George Watt and Bob Gaulton from the Wairarapa Rail Modellers have constructed a diorama depicting light rail in use at the front.
The Museum’s special guest on Armistice Day will be Barry O’Donnell, railway historian and Executive Officer at the Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand. He has written When Nelson had a Railway, designed and edited Railwaymen at War and is currently writing a book on Cross Creek. Thank You