New Zealand Liberation Museum
| New Zealand Liberation Museum | |
|---|---|
Musée Néo-Zélandais de la Libération | |
| [mapframe not available on SimWiki] Interactive map of the New Zealand Liberation Museum area | |
General information | |
| Location | 18 Rue Achille Carlier, 59530 Le Quesnoy,France, Le Quesnoy |
| Coordinates | 50°14′54″N 3°38′07″E / 50.24840°N 3.63534°E |
| Website | |
| https://nzliberationmuseum.com/ | |
New Zealand Liberation Museum (French: Musée Néo-Zélandais de la Libération, Le Quesnoy France) (Māori: Te Arawhata) is a museum located in Le Quesnoy, France. The Museum was made to preserve the stories and legacy of the New Zealand soldiers who liberated Le Quesnoy in 1918.[1][2]
History
Le Quesnoy is a fortress town in the Northeast of France. The town and its citizens were under German occupation from August 1914 to November 1918.[2] On 4 November 1918, as part of the Battle of Sambre, the New Zealand Division arrived at the walls of Le Quesnoy.[3]
New Zealand troops chose not to fire over the town's fortification in order to preserve civilian life.[4] Instead, creating a smoke screen, New Zealand troops were able to climb, using ladders, over the town's fortifications and successfully enter Le Quesnoy undetected.[5] The New Zealand troops outflanked German troops, who eventually surrendered. The town and its 1,600 civilians were liberated with no civilian fatalities; however, 130 New Zealanders died.[5][6]
The actions of the New Zealand Division are noted as the most successful day on the Western Front during the First World War.[7]
Local appreciation is evident in streets being named after New Zealanders and soldiers such as Lieutenant Leslie Averill who climbed the ladder and first set foot in Le Quesnoy.[8][9] Averill opened the public memorial in 1923, located near where he entered the town, which honours the New Zealand troops.[2][8][9] There is also a pre-school, Ecole Maternelle du Dr Averill, in his namesake.[10]
New Zealand Liberation Museum
Building & restoration
The New Zealand Museum Memorial Trust- Le Quesnoy bought the building in 2017.[11] The museum is housed in a restored and refurbished nineteenth century building which was once the Mayor's residence.[6] The museum's architecture utilises modern design alongside traditional elements reflective of the towns historic fortress.[12] This work was done by local architect, Véronique Coupet and New Zealand architect, Robert Hanson, who were in charge of developing the three-storey mansion into a museum.[11] Financial support from philanthropist Andrew Barnes allowed the museum to continue developing.[13] The development of the museum was project managed by Luke van Velthooven.[6]
Opening
The New Zealand Liberation Museum opened in October 2023, 105 years after New Zealand troops freed Le Quesnoy, near the end of the First World War.[1] The name Te Arawhata means 'the ladder' in Māori, referring to the method New Zealand soldiers took to enter the town.[4] This is also marked in the inclusion of a large ladder sculpture in the centre of the building, designed by Senior Creative Director at Wētā Workshop, Andrew Thomas and New Zealand designer Rehua Wilson.[5][14]
Story & exhibitions
The museum tells the story of the capture of Le Quesnoy and New Zealand's involvement in liberating the town through immersive sensory experiences.[14] It also delves into New Zealanders wider involvement in serving in the Western front in The First World War.[15] As well as displaying the realities of life for Le Quesnoy civilians during German occupation.[5] A large-scale and hyper realistic figure of a soldier is exhibited which was created by New Zealand special effects company, Wētā Workshop.[16]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Te Arawhata: NZ's Liberation Museum in France receives boost but needs more support". NZ Herald. 18 December 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "The liberation of Le Quesnoy". nzhistory.govt.nz. Manatū Taonga — Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 10 October 2018. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ↑ "The Le Quesnoy Story – NZ Remembers". Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "The New Zealand Liberation Museum opens in France". Veterans' Affairs. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 SJMC (30 October 2024). "The New Zealand Liberation Museum – Te Arawhata". Sir John Monash Centre. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Wardle, Penny (19 January 2024). "Blenheim man leads Liberation Museum project in France". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ↑ McGibbon, Ian (2000). The Oxford Companion to New Zealand Military History. Auckland, New Zealand: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-558376-0.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Leslie Averill remembers the Le Quesnoy attack". nzhistory.govt.nz. Manatū Taonga — Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Le Quesnoy memorial". nzhistory.govt.nz. Manatū Taonga — Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ↑ Dobson, Jude (26 October 2018). "First man over the wall - How Kiwi soldiers rescued French town in WWI". NZ Herald. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Making of a Museum Pt 1". New Zealand Liberation Museum – Te Arawhata. 24 May 2023. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ↑ "Te Arawhata". crane-brothers.com. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ↑ "Te Arawhata: NZ's Liberation Museum in France receives boost but needs more support". NZ Herald. 18 December 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 "The NZ Liberation Museum - Te Arawhata". www.wetaworkshop.com. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ↑ "LE QUESNOY - New Zealand Liberation Museum TE ARAWHATA". www.lequesnoy.fr. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ↑ Durie, Kate (11 October 2023). "Liberation Museum in French town honours Kiwi soldiers who freed the town using ladders". NZ Herald. Retrieved 18 December 2024.