Part of the First World War centenary history programme, this printed overview of New Zealanders’ experiences on the Western Front was published in September 2016.
Between August 1914 and November 1918, 74,000 New Zealanders fought on the Western Front. It was to prove the most costly of all the campaigns in which New Zealand military personnel have taken part.
This overview of New Zealanders’ experiences on the Western Front was written by leading military historian, Ian McGibbon, from Manatū Taonga - Ministry for Culture and Heritage.
Although a number of books have appeared about particular battles that took place on the Western Front, this is the first major account of New Zealand's whole Western Front campaign since the publication of the official history in 1921. It provides a comprehensive, balanced and accessible account of the nature of the battles in which New Zealand took part, assesses the performance of New Zealand troops and provides the reader with a clear picture of what it was like to be a soldier in a campaign that demanded huge sacrifices.