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 as a physical one, beginning in a pretty town in pre-war days then glimpsing increasing ruin and loss of life as the war drags on.

There are large photographs as well as displays, and all are in colour. Sir Peter Jackson, who created the exhibit, wanted to avoid any distancing effect by ensuring that we see the world in colour, just as those who endured the battles did.

Before the war:

GWEStreet1

GWEStreet2

A London omnibus (with advertisements still partially visible) pressed into service as field transport:

GWEBus1

Two very different forms of transport: horse and biplane

GWECavalryAndPlane4

A closer view of that biplane:

GWECavalryAndPlane3

Countryside, before and after:

GWECountrysideBefore   GWECountrysideAfter

A glimpse of the trenches:

GWETrench1

Stretcher bearers at Passchendaele, a battle that saw New Zealand’s worst-ever losses in a single day, with 845 killed in a few hours:

GWEPasschendaeleStretcher

Kiwi soldiers in a brighter moment:

GWEKiwisWIthFieldGun

More on the exhibition: http://www.greatwarexhibition.nz/

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11 Comments


  1. When is the follow up to War of the roses

    Reply

    1. Hi Henrietta. I’m not sure when I’ll have the follow-up to “After the Roses” ready for release, as I’ve another book to finish first. But I’ll definitely be returning to Daisy’s story eventually.

      Reply

  2. I am completely engaged with this series and its characters.. I feel as if I am missing a friend between books.. I will be very most eagerly waiting for more about daisy and Eddie during her college years. Your literary gift to the world is truly appreciated☺

    Reply

    1. Thanks so much, Michelle!

      I miss my characters, too, if I’m away from them for any length of time, and I do look forward to getting back to Daisy and the others.

      Reply

  3. This past month my moments of leisure have been filled with the sights, sounds, and feelings experienced first by Amy, then Daisy, and their various friends, family, and acquaintances.
    There have been characters I’ve adored and others I’ve hated. Sympathy, excitement, anger, revulsion, joy, romance, forgiveness, redemption, life, birth, joy, degradation, leisure, toil, joy, death, and many other experiences and emotions have been shared by these two New Zealand girls and I.
    Now Daisy has begun her journey into adulthood and …… to be continued???????
    SHAYNE PLEASE HURRY! :0)

    PS. Thank you for your beautiful descriptions of New Zealand. Honestly I’ve never known much more about it other than it’s a neighbor of Australia. Boy have I been missing out! Your love for and pride in New Zealand is obviously as great as mine for my native home, Texas. I love that!!! I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to physically visit your beautiful country, but I get to do the next best thing by experiencing it through your stories. Thank you for the journey!

    Reply

    1. Thanks so much, Phyllis! I’m very glad to have been able to bring you to my country in imagination, and to introduce you to the unruly mob of characters who fill to many of my waking (and occasionally dreaming) moments.

      Hurrying is not something I’m good at. 🙂 I sometimes say that following me is an exercise in patience – thanks in advance for yours!

      Reply

  4. I have thoroughly enjoyed all the books in this series and can’t wait to read the sequel to “After the Roses”. I love your writing!

    Reply

  5. I, too, am eagerly awaiting your next book. I am happy just knowing Daisy’s story isn’t over.

    Thank you!

    Reply

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