New Zealand’s First World War place names

Soldiers looked to their commanders for inspiration, confidence and leadership.

Names like Gallipoli and Passchendaele are almost as well-known as that of the First World War itself. They are synonymous with the hardships that New Zealanders experienced in the war.

Stories behind New Zealand’s First World War place names. Commanders at sea could tip the balance between defeat and victory, which often meant the difference between life and death for the soldiers on shore.

Ships of the His Majesty’s Royal Navy became home for many New Zealand sailors.

The call to arms for the First World War saw New Zealand men from all walks of life enlist, leaving our shores to fight and in many cases die.

In times of war, military units become a family that was never forgotten by the men and women who served within them.

A number of prominent New Zealand mountaineers were involved in the First World War, with mountains and other features in the South Island named after them.