The New Zealand Liberation Museum, Te Arawhata, in Le Quesnoy, France.
The New Zealand Liberation Museum, Te Arawhata, in Le Quesnoy, France.
The New Zealand Liberation Museum, Te Arawhata, in Le Quesnoy, France has received a significant financial boost to continue its operations and preserve the legacy of the Kiwi soldiers who fought there in World War I.
Philanthropist and entrepreneur Andrew Barnes, a trustee and major benefactor of the New ZealandMemorial Museum Trust, has pledged to match donations up to $50,000 for all contributions made to the museum by September 8, 2024.
Despite this vital support, the museum urgently needs more funding to continue to serve as a crucial link between New Zealand and France.
Te Arawhata opened its doors in October 2023 and stands as a powerful symbol of the enduring relationship between New Zealand and the town of Le Quesnoy.
Inside New Zealand Liberation Museum, Te Arawhata, in Le Quesnoy, France
The museum was created by New Zealanders with a visitor experience designed by the Wētā Workshop and offers an emotional journey through the shared history of the two nations.
It commemorates the remarkable liberation of Le Quesnoy by New Zealand soldiers on November 4, 1918 – a feat achieved without the loss of a single civilian life, despite the significant sacrifice of the soldiers themselves.
This act of bravery has forged a bond between Le Quesnoy and New Zealand that has lasted over a century.
The museum stands as New Zealand’s tūrangawaewae, or place of standing, in France, embodying the deep connection between the two cultures.
Barnes says his motivation for setting up the Givealittle campaign was motivated by New Zealand’s participation at the Paris Olympics and thoughts of the Kiwi soldiers who fought in World War I.
Sign of the times.
“Our Kiwi heroes have been travelling back home to New Zealand from France celebrating their sporting successes,” says Barnes.
“I was inspired to make this donation because there are a number of our Kiwi heroes who were never able to come home to their families from France, and we’re always thinking of them.
“Kiwis played a major role in the liberation of the French town of Le Quesnoy, and many Kiwis have loved ones who were laid to rest there.”
Barnes says visiting the recently opened museum has become a rite of passage for Kiwis in Europe, much like Gallipoli is for New Zealanders visiting Turkey.
“The museum runs entirely on donations, so it is my hope that as a symbol of New Zealand’s ongoing friendship and connection with France, anyone who can will respond to this donation appeal.”
The $50,000 donation offer was further inspired by the recent presentation and blessing of 550 rare tautahi “snowflake” pounamu pendants to New Zealand’s Olympians and Paralympians.
The taonga, gifted by Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and Te Rūnanga Ngāti Waewae, are dedicated to the fallen soldiers of Le Quesnoy.
“The timing of this appeal is especially poignant as the pounamu pendants currently adorning our athletes represent the fallen soldiers of Le Quesnoy and New Zealand’s special bond with France,” says Barnes.
The museum’s location in Le Quesnoy is particularly significant as the town in northern France was occupied by German forces for much of World War I.
The liberation of Le Quesnoy on November 4, 1918, is a legendary moment in New Zealand’s military history.
Andrew Barnes is the founder of Perpetual Guardian. Photo / Supplied
The soldiers used ladders to scale the fortified walls of the town, a daring tactic that resulted in the surrender of the German forces and the liberation of the town without a single civilian casualty.
The actions of the New Zealand troops on that day have left an indelible mark on the people of Le Quesnoy. The bond between the town and New Zealand is so strong that it has been passed down through generations.
