The reading of a well-scripted letter, by an 8-year-old boy in 1914, asking Major-General Godley if he could be allowed to fight in the war despite his age, was touching and endearing at Sunday's Wai Word event in Carterton, and brings to mind the concept of duty.
Teddy Reynolds, 8, wanted to do his "bit", and I suspect this was the case for many New Zealanders of that time. England was very much "home". It was Mother England, and New Zealand was part of the British Empire.
Combine that with the concept that heading off to fight in exotic lands sounded the biggest adventure going, and it's probably no wonder people felt a compulsion to do their duty.
It is probably not until after the casualty counts start coming in, and news of the disasters of some campaign, that a creeping disillusionment would occur.
New Zealand followed England again in World War II but, after that, the country did not follow blindly into campaigns.