This online exhibition is representative of Canterbury and World War One: Lives Lost Lives Changed, a temporary exhibition which ran from 30 November 2017 to 11 November 2018 at Canterbury Museum.
Theme
02
Going to War
Britain’s declaration of war caused great excitement in Canterbury, followed by thousands of enlistments in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Those accepted as recruits underwent training before leaving New Zealand on troopships.
As the War dragged on, voluntary enlistments declined and conscription was introduced to keep up the supply of men. While many young men left the country expecting a great adventure, their families worried that they would never see them again.
Go BackTroops boarding the Tahiti at Lyttelton in September 1914.
Canterbury Museum 1976.96.23
Men arriving at Trentham Camp, 1917
Courtesy of Margaret Johns
World War One uniforms on display during the exhibition Canterbury and World War One: Lives Lost Lives Changed 30 November 2017 to 11 November 2018
