Plans to construct a First World War replica trench system to mark the Centenary of the conflict have received a $156,000 boost.
The project is being organised by Armistice in Cambridge in New Zealand, which annually marks the signing of the Armistice which brought hostilities to a halt on the 11th November 1918.
To mark the 100th anniversary of the Armistice, the organisation has been awarded the grant of more than $150,000 by the government’s WW100 panel, which has made $17 million available for Centenary projects through the Lottery Grants Board.
The trench will be built within the Mighty River Domain grounds at Lake Karapiro, Cambridge.
Armistice in Cambridge said that the replica trench system will serve as the “centrepiece” of their commemorations, as a site where re-enactments can be staged to help educate the public about “what that terrible war was really like”.
As a Dominion of the British Empire when the United Kingdom declared war on Germany in August 1914, New Zealand automatically entered the conflict and quickly committed itself fully to the struggle.
In terms of population size, New Zealand suffered some of the worst casualty figures during the war.
The trench system is expected to serve as a focal point during the Centenary, but Armistice in Cambridge has said that it could also be used to educate people about other conflicts in New Zealand’s history.
The trench is expected to be fully constructed and available for use in November 2014.
Source: Armistice in Cambridge
Images courtesy of Armistice in Cambridge
Posted by: Daniel Barry, Centenary News