Iain MacKenzie: Government fails to honour word

The Battle of Passchendaele on October 12, 1917 left 18,000 NZ soldiers injured and 5000 dead.

Opinion

Passchendaele: The Belgians Have Not Forgotten is a travelling exhibition created by the Passchendaele Memorial Museum. It is intended to show that the people of Flanders and more widely, the Belgians, have never forgotten the sacrifice made by New Zealanders 92 years ago.

The exhibition follows the journey of New Zealand soldiers from Gallipoli to the Somme and through Flanders to Passchendaele where October 12, 1917 was to become the most tragic day in New Zealand's history.

The battle for the Western Front in World War I has largely slipped from our national conscience despite the overwhelming losses which had a devastating effect on early 20th century New Zealand.

By the time they were finally withdrawn from Flanders in February 1918, the New Zealand Division had suffered more than 18,000 casualties, including around 5000 deaths, and had won three Victoria Crosses for bravery.

The exhibition opened in Wellington in March and will have visited Christchurch, Dunedin, Featherston and the National Army Museum in Waiouru before finishing its journey, through the co-operation of the Department of Conservation at Fort Takapuna in Devonport between October 4 and November 15.

These dates include October 12, the 92nd anniversary of the Battle of Passchendaele. The significance of Fort Takapuna is that it was from here that many of our soldiers, including the Pioneer Maori Battalion and the Auckland Regiment, left for Flanders. The Army has played a key role in the logistics of moving the exhibition throughout the country.

Perhaps the most significant effect of the exhibition has been the way in which local communities have responded and revealed a deep-seated awareness of Passchendaele and the role it plays in our culture and heritage.

North Shore community groups such as RSAs and Rotary clubs have volunteered to assist with the exhibition and activities. The Mayor and council of North Shore City have recognised the strong historical links with Passchendaele and Fort Takapuna and are providing wonderful support by highlighting the exhibition and commemorative activities as the core of its Heritage Festival.

Local defence units of the Army, Navy and Air Force have responded to requests to participate in commemorative ceremonies.

The support of individual New Zealanders and local government in commemorating Passchendaele at Fort Takapuna is in marked contrast to that of central government, despite the fact that agreements were signed between the Flemish and Belgian Governments and the Government of New Zealand two years ago to co-operate in the field of the shared history of the world wars of the 20th century.

Specifically in this agreement, the Government promised to "... increase broad community recognition ... educate younger generations ... honour the war dead ... encourage tourism to commemorative and historical sites in each other's countries as a means of preserving the memory of the shared service and sacrifice ...".

The Ministry for Culture and Heritage was charged with the responsibility for the implementation of the agreement in New Zealand but approaches to the Hon. Christopher Finlayson in terms of support for the Fort Takapuna activities have been met with the advice that: "... there is currently no funding available for commemorations of this kind".

Many New Zealanders will wonder why one government agreed to co-operate with Belgium on commemorative activities whilst the next failed to set aside funding to honour the agreement and left it to local communities to say, "We will remember them".

* Iain MacKenzie, the honorary consul of Belgium in Auckland, is co-ordinating the visit of Passchendaele: The Belgians Have Not Forgotten.