Background

Many members of the France New Zealand Association will already know of the connection New Zealanders have with the town of Le Quesnoy in the north of France. Indeed, a number of us, tragically lost family members, soldiers killed in action, at this last, deeply significant battle of the Western Front in World War One. 

The storming of Le Quesnoy on the 4 th November 1918 by the New Zealand Division was met with joy by Le Quesnoy’s citizens. It was liberation from a harsh regime of occupation by the German forces which had lasted four years. Le Quesnoy is an old fortified town, with impressive ramparts which were mounted by ladders. Lieutenant-General, Sir George Montague Harper described this action by the New Zealand soldiers, many of them very young, as “ … an attack which did much to decide the finish of the war, forced the surrender of the fortress of Le Quesnoy and drove the enemy back … this constitutes a record of which the New Zealand Division may well be proud … it is a record unsurpassed in the final series of attacks which led to the enemy’s sueing for peace”.

Trip to Le Quesnoy 2024

The France New Zealand Association has for many years been participating in ANZAC day commemorations in Le Quesnoy, along with the centenary commemoration in November 2018 attended by over 500 New Zealanders. We have been pleased to work closely with the Le Quesnoy – New Zealand Association and this was again the case this year. It has now become the practice for the town to hold the Le Quesnoy commemoration annually on the Sunday following ANZAC day. This year was April 28 th , also a day of national commemoration of those deported to Germany during World War Two.

Programme

• 7.30 am 

Depart from Paris by bus for a delegation of 24.

• 11.00 am

Commemoration at the Le Quesnoy Bell Tower War Memorial of Le Quesnoy for French soldiers serving in WW1 and WW2.

• Midday 

We then joined a march bringing us to the Eugène Thomas memorial, to pay our respects on the French National Day of Remembrance those Deported during WW2. Eugène Thomas was an elected politician of Le Quesnoy, who entered the French Resistance in 1940 and was deported to Buchenwald.

Madame Marie-Sophie Lesne, Mayor of Le Quesnoy and Her Excellency, Mrs Caroline Bilkey, New Zealand Ambassador to France, laid memorial wreaths and spoke to the purpose of this commemoration. A flock of pigeons were released as a reminder of the need for vigilance and a call for peace.

• New Zealand Memorial

The gathering of Le Quesnoy citizens and New Zealanders then walked to the New Zealand Memorial at the site in the Le Quesnoy where Second Lieutenant Leslie Averill ,followed by Second Lieutenant, Harry Kerr and others used a ladder to scale the ramparts of Le Quesnoy and lead the liberation of the town. The original unveilling of the Memorial was on 15th July 1923 in the presence of Maréchal Foch, and Viscount Milner, Sir James Allen, New Zealand High Commissioner to London.

• New Zealand Liberation Museum – Te Arawhata

The gathering then walked to the New Zealand Liberation Museum – Te Arawhata. The was developed by the New Zealand Memorial Museum Trust – Le Quesnoy (NZMMT-LQ). Inspired by the themes of freedom, friendship and future, the Trust has created a place to honour the remarkable actions of New Zealand soldiers who liberated the town of Le Quesnoy and fought in World War One. It is also a place that acknowledges the enduring friendship between the people of Le Quesnoy and New Zealand. 

The museum is located in a renovated mansion house which was the former World War One mayoral home and later the headquarters of the local Gendarmerie (French Police). The NZMMT-LQ purchased the building in 2017 and it has been renovated over the past two years, officially opened in 2023. 

We were welcomed by Museum director Josh Hansen. Speeches were given to the assembled crowd by Madame Marie-Sophie Lesne, Mayor of Le Quesnoy, Her excellency, Mrs Caroline Bilkey, New Zealand Ambassador to France, Jean-Philippe Froment, President, Le Quesnoy – New Zealand Association.

Here is an extract of Jean- Philippe Froment’s speech: 

“ The people of Le Quesnoy continue to demonstrate our gratitude to those who fell - and to those who returned home, marked physically and psychologically by a terrible war. We are also thinking of all the families whose lives were turned upside down by the loss of a son, a husband or a father.”

• 1pm – Lunch

Our group had a very pleasant lunch at Ô Roi Bœuf, in the main square of Le Quesnoy. We were joined by members of the Le Quesnoy – New Zealand Association, including President, Jean-Philippe Froment.

• 2pm – Guided Visit at New Zealand Liberation Museum – Te Arawhata

Our delegation had the opportunity to visit the excellent displays at the museum. Most of the museum experience was created by the Location Based Experiences team at the award-winning Wētā Workshop. The displays involve a mix of cinematic, sensory, and emotive environments where visitors can immerse themselves in the dramatic storytelling, sculptural artworks, soundscapes, and projections to connect on an emotional level with the liberation of Le Quesnoy. Using its world-famous special effects, Wētā Workshop has created a giant soldier similar to the figures in its exhibition Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War at Te Papa in Wellington, New Zealand.

• 4pm – Guided visit of Le Quesnoy town and ramparts by Jean-Philippe Froment, Président of Le Quesnoy – New Zealand Association.

Jean-Philippe Froment, President of the Le Quesnoy – New Zealand Association very generously provided us a tour of Le Quesnoy and the ramparts. The tour was very thoughtfully prepared with plenty of maps and diagrams. Thank-you very much indeed Jean-Philippe for your generous welcome. We look forward to a continuing and very warm collaboration with the Le Quesnoy- New Zealand Association in the coming years.

• 4.30 pm – Return Bus Home to Paris

Following a very full and moving day, our delegation returned to Paris. Very special thanks are due to Isabel Kerr, who undertook a vast amount of the organising to make this trip to happen, and, as usual, our President, Georgia Aussenac and Secretary, Clément Aussenac contributed greatly.

A personal note – some final remarks.

So many New Zealand families were deeply affected by the casualties of World War One. My great uncle, 2 nd Lieutenant Gainor Jackson, played an important role in the liberation of Le Quesnoy, survived, and was later honoured. Tragically, his two older brothers, Ernest and Alban, had both died in action at Baupaume, in France, just two months earlier. 

This, in essence, is why we went to Le Quesnoy. Almost every New Zealand family has a similar story. As Christopher Pugsley says in his excellent history of Le Quesnoy: 

“ We owe it to them – everyone who fought at Le Quesnoy, those who remain buried there, those who brought their memories back to New Zealand, and to the people of Le Quesnoy who have never forgotten – to understand and care about what happened in this corner of France.”

Lynette Thorstensen

Member of the Board