The Great War Exhibition
While visiting Wellington last month, we went to the very impressive Great War Exhibition at the old Dominion Museum. The exhibition takes the visitor on a chronological journey as well […]
world war one
One Hundred Years
One hundred years ago, Britain declared war on Germany. As one of the British Dominions, New Zealand joined in that declaration, and at once offered its own troops. In those […]
The A to Z Challenge: K is for Kiwi
One thing we never use “kiwi” for is the fruit. To us it’s always “kiwifruit”, and it gives pause for thought whenever I hear someone talk of eating a kiwi! […]
The A to Z Challenge: D is for Daisy
And also for Doctor. Daisy is an only child; an oddity at a time when large families were the norm. She’s a bright and imaginative girl, taking after her grandmother […]
Anzac Day
Anzac Day Among the food dishes named in honour of a battle is the Anzac biscuit. It originated in the biscuits sent to overseas troops during the Great War; biscuits […]
“Daisy’s War” is here
It’s sometimes disconcerting just how clearly characters can make their feelings known (as the mere author, I’m frequently not in charge), and Amy has made it very clear that she […]
New Zealand horses in the Great War
Between 1914 and 1918, New Zealand sent more than 10,000 horses to Europe to serve in the Great War. Only four of those horses ever returned to New Zealand, and […]
Coming Soon: Daisy’s War
In 1914, Daisy lives in the quiet New Zealand valley where her family has farmed for generations. A cherished only child with an adored older cousin, and surrounded by a […]
A Faithful Hound
Among the accounts of human suffering I’ve come across while researching my current work-in-progress, I stumbled upon something rather different: this tale of a faithful dog. From the Bay of […]
Passchendaele remembered
Recently I’ve been reading Glyn Harper’s superb account of the New Zealand experience of Passchendaele. I’ve written here before about the Battle of Passchendaele and its horrific toll on New […]