Impacts on New Zealand Soldiers
New Zealanders were eager to be involved in the Great War, and about 40% of those of military age in New Zealand joined up voluntarily. Some men however were not so interested in being involved with the war, but had little choice due to the social pressure and conscription they were under. A number of men were not eligible to even go to war, due to medical conditions, but this issue didn't seem to effect anybody. Over 100,000 NZ men served overseas
Thousands lost their lives in the Gallipoli campaign: 87,000 Turks, 44,000 men from France and the British Empire, including 8500 Australians. To this day, Australia also marks the events of 25 April. Among the dead were 2721 New Zealanders, almost one in four of those who served on Gallipoli.
The lives of many soldiers changed significantly, and many would write letters home to their lovers and family members, just to express their challenges, and their experience throughout the change in their lives. NZ soldiers who served overseas soon experienced the harsh transition, from the great adventure they had initially perceived, to the nightmare they couldn't wake up from, being under fire. However, from these experiences, soldiers felt a sense of belonging, and were able to find out who they really were as individuals- From this soldiers bonded together and formed a brotherhood amongst themselves.
With the soldiers who were killed during the Great War, many of those soldiers who managed to survive, did not escape untroubled, as many suffered from Shell-Shock, otherwise referred to as Post-Traumatic Stress. At first, British medics initially believed that shell-shock was more of an injury that had a physical impact on soldiers e.g wounds from blasting shells, grenades, shrapnel or artillery projectile bombs, but soon discovered that a large number of soldiers arriving at the casualty clearing stations, who had been exposed to the exploding shells or bombs, had no signs of any visible wounds, however they still seemed to be damaged mentally. This injury was very common with soldiers, particularly who had endured the physical trauma eg. having shellfire and shrapnel severely damaging their limbs, or had seen gas poisoned bodies, because in the later years, where they had recovered from the war, they still had to battle mentally, and suffer from the hallucinations and nightmares caused by shell-shock.
"It is terrible to see these men wounded in the head — numbers of them become paralysed and quite a number were minus arms and legs or eyes. For the first few days they were quite silly — lost their reasons and some speechless. Oh, it was ghastly and desperately busy — we just went on and on doing dressings no hope of finishing … Crowds died of course." (Elsie Grey, New Zealand Army Nursing Service, in Anna Rogers, While you’re away: New Zealand nurses at war 1899–1948, 2003).
Many NZ soldiers spent each day fighting alongside each other in the trenches, and along with that, had to witness some of their own men die, from bombs exploding unexpectedly beneath them. That aspect in itself would have been difficult for the families at home to comprehend, knowing that our own men were being killed left right and center, but knowing that they died honourably, and alongside their fellow comrades may have given families some closure.
Letters From Gallipoli, "Yesterday the bomb instructor was accidentally killed , along with a New Zealander, when bomb exploded during intruction. Five other New Zealanders were wounded." - By Walter Edmund Leadley (May , 1916)
Soldiers were forced to sacrifice their lives and well-being to participate in the Great War, and many of those who survived, were about to experience a series of unfortunate events, in terms of their mental and physical health. 18,000 New Zealand soldiers died, and over 40,000 NZ soldiers returned home wounded. More than 14,000 New Zealanders were wounded between June and December 1917
Although many NZ soldiers were effected tremendously by the war, in terms of being killed, suffering life-long injuries or having to recover from the amount of harsh exposure they've had to the war, many were very proud to represent New Zealand soldier and also as an ANZAC, right until the time they were killed at war, or were fortunate enough to safely return to NZ in one piece.
Thousands lost their lives in the Gallipoli campaign: 87,000 Turks, 44,000 men from France and the British Empire, including 8500 Australians. To this day, Australia also marks the events of 25 April. Among the dead were 2721 New Zealanders, almost one in four of those who served on Gallipoli.
The lives of many soldiers changed significantly, and many would write letters home to their lovers and family members, just to express their challenges, and their experience throughout the change in their lives. NZ soldiers who served overseas soon experienced the harsh transition, from the great adventure they had initially perceived, to the nightmare they couldn't wake up from, being under fire. However, from these experiences, soldiers felt a sense of belonging, and were able to find out who they really were as individuals- From this soldiers bonded together and formed a brotherhood amongst themselves.
With the soldiers who were killed during the Great War, many of those soldiers who managed to survive, did not escape untroubled, as many suffered from Shell-Shock, otherwise referred to as Post-Traumatic Stress. At first, British medics initially believed that shell-shock was more of an injury that had a physical impact on soldiers e.g wounds from blasting shells, grenades, shrapnel or artillery projectile bombs, but soon discovered that a large number of soldiers arriving at the casualty clearing stations, who had been exposed to the exploding shells or bombs, had no signs of any visible wounds, however they still seemed to be damaged mentally. This injury was very common with soldiers, particularly who had endured the physical trauma eg. having shellfire and shrapnel severely damaging their limbs, or had seen gas poisoned bodies, because in the later years, where they had recovered from the war, they still had to battle mentally, and suffer from the hallucinations and nightmares caused by shell-shock.
"It is terrible to see these men wounded in the head — numbers of them become paralysed and quite a number were minus arms and legs or eyes. For the first few days they were quite silly — lost their reasons and some speechless. Oh, it was ghastly and desperately busy — we just went on and on doing dressings no hope of finishing … Crowds died of course." (Elsie Grey, New Zealand Army Nursing Service, in Anna Rogers, While you’re away: New Zealand nurses at war 1899–1948, 2003).
Many NZ soldiers spent each day fighting alongside each other in the trenches, and along with that, had to witness some of their own men die, from bombs exploding unexpectedly beneath them. That aspect in itself would have been difficult for the families at home to comprehend, knowing that our own men were being killed left right and center, but knowing that they died honourably, and alongside their fellow comrades may have given families some closure.
Letters From Gallipoli, "Yesterday the bomb instructor was accidentally killed , along with a New Zealander, when bomb exploded during intruction. Five other New Zealanders were wounded." - By Walter Edmund Leadley (May , 1916)
Soldiers were forced to sacrifice their lives and well-being to participate in the Great War, and many of those who survived, were about to experience a series of unfortunate events, in terms of their mental and physical health. 18,000 New Zealand soldiers died, and over 40,000 NZ soldiers returned home wounded. More than 14,000 New Zealanders were wounded between June and December 1917
Although many NZ soldiers were effected tremendously by the war, in terms of being killed, suffering life-long injuries or having to recover from the amount of harsh exposure they've had to the war, many were very proud to represent New Zealand soldier and also as an ANZAC, right until the time they were killed at war, or were fortunate enough to safely return to NZ in one piece.
Letters From Gallipoli (above) shows personal letters which New Zealand soldiers have written, and sent home to their families.
As well as the many soldiers who were killed, or who suffered extensive injuries, those who did manage to survive a reasonably long period at war expressed how grateful they were to even be alive up until that moment. In a letter which was written by Private Thomas Alick Rimmer (Wellington Batallion), to his sister Lillia, he says "I feel very grateful indeed; for letters, or any kind of newspapers are a God-send in a place like this". He later expresses his thoughts, writing "I am quite used to close shaves and seeing so many wounded & killed for we see it everyday. I feel thankful that I am still unharmed". For a soldier to have such a positive outlook on war, despite the amount of trauma one would expect him to suffer, really shows how brave our NZ soldiers were, and how, just by writing letters home to their families, can have a significant impact on the way our men battled through the war, amongst each other, and within themselves.
In conclusion, life overall was very hard for soldiers, because of the amount of torment and trauma they went through, caused by the harsh battlefields during the Great War. Before soldiers became physically involved with war they imagined the experience to be exhilarating and exciting, however they were unprepared for the harsh reality of war that they were about to experience. In November 11, 1918 when World War 1 had officially come to an end, but not for these soldiers. Thousands were killed in the war, and thousands also returned home completely different people, who would never live life the same again.
As well as the many soldiers who were killed, or who suffered extensive injuries, those who did manage to survive a reasonably long period at war expressed how grateful they were to even be alive up until that moment. In a letter which was written by Private Thomas Alick Rimmer (Wellington Batallion), to his sister Lillia, he says "I feel very grateful indeed; for letters, or any kind of newspapers are a God-send in a place like this". He later expresses his thoughts, writing "I am quite used to close shaves and seeing so many wounded & killed for we see it everyday. I feel thankful that I am still unharmed". For a soldier to have such a positive outlook on war, despite the amount of trauma one would expect him to suffer, really shows how brave our NZ soldiers were, and how, just by writing letters home to their families, can have a significant impact on the way our men battled through the war, amongst each other, and within themselves.
In conclusion, life overall was very hard for soldiers, because of the amount of torment and trauma they went through, caused by the harsh battlefields during the Great War. Before soldiers became physically involved with war they imagined the experience to be exhilarating and exciting, however they were unprepared for the harsh reality of war that they were about to experience. In November 11, 1918 when World War 1 had officially come to an end, but not for these soldiers. Thousands were killed in the war, and thousands also returned home completely different people, who would never live life the same again.