5 October 2007
The 90th anniversary of Passchendaele will be marked with a commemoration service at the Auckland War Memorial Museum on October 12.
“The Battle of Passchendaele was one of the bloodiest of World War I,” said Chief of Defence Lieutenant General Jerry Mateparae.
“October 12 1917 is the most disastrous day in our military history. In just two hours more than 2800 men were killed, wounded or listed as missing in action."
In attendance at the Auckland commemorations will be Brigadier Phil Gibbons, Deputy Chief of the New Zealand Army.
The ceremony includes a performance by the massed bands of the Royal Regiment of the New Zealand Artillery, the Royal New Zealand Air Force, Base Auckland and the Auckland Police Pipe band.
The New Zealand commemorations of Passchendaele will be matched by commemorations in Belgium on October 12 attended by Chief of the New Zealand Army Major General Lou Gardiner.
ENDS
The Auckland War Memorial Museum, RSA and NZ Defence Force invite the city of Auckland to honour those who served in the 1917 Battle of Passchendaele at a commemorative service on Friday October 12th, 2007 at 4pm on the consecrated ground surrounding the Cenotaph on Friday October 12.
Passchendaele 90th Anniversary image gallery
For more information on the history of the Battle of Passchendaele please visit the NZDF website www.nzdf.mil.nz