War Graves Dignitary to Visit NZ Cemeteries

16 October 2007

Media Release Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Commonwealth War Graves Dignitary to Visit NZ Cemeteries

The Vice-Chairman of Commonwealth War Graves Commission is to tour cemeteries and memorials throughout New Zealand from 20 to 25 October.

The Commission takes care of the graves of 1.7 million men and women of the Commonwealth forces who died during the two World Wars.

Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter Squire will visit 30 New Zealand cemeteries, from those in the main cities to small graveyards with just one or two war burials.

New Zealand is a member of the Commission and makes a financial contribution to its work.

The Ministry for Culture and Heritage acts as the Commission’s agent to maintain war graves and memorials here and in the Pacific. Sir Peter Squire’s visit is an acknowledgement of that partnership.

The Ministry’s manager of Heritage Operations, Brodie Stubbs, said the Commonwealth War Graves Commission played a vital role in remembering the war dead, including thousands of New Zealanders.

“The majority of the 29,967 New Zealand war dead are honoured under the Commission’s care in France, Belgium, Gallipoli, Egypt, Greece, Italy and New Caledonia.

We recently saw an example of the Commission’s work in the beautifully kept Tyne Cot cemetery in Passchendaele –the site of our worst military disaster during World War 1.

The Commission has worked hard to transform bleak graveyards into memorial gardens that are a dignified and fitting tribute to the dead. They do an extraordinary job,” said Mr Stubbs.

2908 casualties of both World Wars are buried in 433 sites throughout New Zealand. Most died while on garrison or training duties at home, or from injury or illness after returning from overseas duty.

In addition, 570 casualties with no known graves are commemorated on the Auckland Memorial in Devonport and on provincial memorials in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin.

Ministry for Culture and Heritage staff inspect each grave every two years.

“Some cemeteries are very remote and many of them contain only a single war grave. We visit them all and arrange any maintenance work with local monumental masons, or, in some cases, with family members of the casualty,” said Brodie Stubbs.

The Ministry holds the printed records of all Commonwealth war dead from both world wars. The records show where the casualty is buried or commemorated, rank, age and next of kin.

All the information can be accessed online at www.cwgc.org

Information on New Zealanders at war can be found on the Ministry’s nzhistory.net website at www.nzhistory.net.nz/war-and-society

Information about Anzac Day can be found at www.nzhistory.net.nz/war/anzac-day/introduction

Media Interviews and Photo Opportunities

Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter Squire, accompanied by Brodie Stubbs from the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, is available on site for media interviews and photo opportunities at these locations and times:

Auckland 9am Saturday 20 October Auckland (Waikumete) Cemetery and Auckland Provincial Memorial

New Plymouth 9am Sunday 21 October New Plymouth (Te Henui) Cemetery

Wellington 11.45am Tuesday 23 October Wellington (Karori) Cemetery

Christchurch 10am Wednesday 24 October Christchurch (Bromley) Cemetery

Dunedin 8.30am Thursday 24 October Anderson’s Bay Cemetery and Dunedin Provincial Memorial

ENDS

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