Coming Home

On 11 November 1918 an Armistice was signed between the Allies and Germany for the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front, which took effect at 11.00am - the "eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month". But at the front there was no celebration. Many soldiers believed the armistice was a temporary measure and the war would soon go on. “After long months of intense strain, mortal danger, always thinking of war and the enemy, the abrupt release from it all was physical and psychological agony. All were bewildered by the sudden meaninglessness of their existence as soldiers – what was to come next? Their minds were numbed by the shock of peace, the past consumed their whole consciousness, the present did not exist and the future was inconceivable.”

Armistice celebrations in New Zealand were overshadowed by the influenza epidemic. In Auckland patriotic concerts and displays were cancelled because of influenza, but many places went ahead with long planned celebrations, the resulting crowds helping to spread infection from towns to rural areas. More significant celebrations occurred in 1919 after the Treaty of Versailles was signed.

The rehabilitation and resettlement of soldiers was termed ‘repatriation’ by the government - returning soldiers needed to be reintegrated into society, and assistance given to wounded and disabled soldiers who were unable to work due to their injuries or state of health. Initially, the government acted by updating pension legislation to cover disabled soldiers, and a Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Act was established to allow the state to purchase land for resale to returning servicemen. Veterans could then buy cheap farms, through allocation or by land ballot. Later through a Repatriation Department and district repatriation boards, apprenticeships were offered, vocational and on-the-job training subsidised, and employment sought for veterans. Cheap business loans were provided, as were loans for tools, equipment and furniture.

However the schemes were limited in concept, badly co-ordinated and support for veterans of the war was not sustained. In 1922 after only 4 years the Repatriation Department was disestablished.

The RSA (Returned Soldiers’ Association - now the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services Association), established in 1916, provided substantial support and effective assistance to returning servicemen. It constantly lobbied government for more assistance to returned soldiers, and was a powerful and influential voice. As the various schemes to support veterans foundered, and economic times worsened, the RSA played a continuing role in keeping the plight of returned soldiers in the public consciousness.

What was not reflected in official records was the sense of grief and loss experienced by New Zealanders whose loved ones, friends and comrades were never to return home. Families underwent prolonged anxiety over the welfare and well-being of kin serving overseas. The dead were buried overseas, leaving families and friends to contemplate their loss without a body or funeral. Many soldiers were posted missing or had been taken prisoner, adding further distress for relatives.

The impact of loss was especially felt in smaller communities where feelings of kinship were more closely knit. Both government and individuals contributed to build memorials throughout towns in New Zealand to recognise the contributions of the fallen and provide a place for those to pay their respects. Some families professed pride that a son had died in the service of King, Empire and Country. Privately, surviving diaries and letters tell of the immense grief and sadness experienced with the loss of a father, husband, brother or son.