Hundreds of people turned out to commemorate the Battle of Passchendaele - an event military historians describe as this country's darkest hour.
A minute's silence was held at Auckland's War Memorial Museum to remember the 846 New Zealand soldiers who died 98 years ago yesterday.
A choir sang InFlandersFields. Wreaths were laid by Minister for Veterans' Affairs Craig Foss, MP Phil Goff and Auckland Mayor Len Brown.