Today, many New Zealanders remembered the end of World War I, 96 years ago. It is Armistice Day, or Remembrance Day. The war ended on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, in 1918. That was 11am on 11th November, in 1918.
Parliament held a service at 11am today when the Governor-General laid a wreath. A ceremony was also held at the Auckland War Museum.
The total number of New Zealand soldiers and nurses to serve overseas in 1914–1918, was 100,444, from a population of just over a million. This was 42% of all men who were between the ages of 20 and 46. About 500 nurses also served overseas. New Zealand had the highest death rate of soldiers than any other country in the British Empire. Nearly 18,000 died and another 40,000 were wounded. Another 1,000 died in the next 5 years from their wounds.
The war had a huge effect on the people of New Zealand.
Listen to August 3rd 2014 to hear more about NZ soldiers in World War I.
Vocabulary
• Armistice – an agreement between two enemies, who have been at war, to talk about peace
• wreath – a ring of leaves
• wound (n) (v) – an injury as a result of war