On October 1914 New Zealand sent their first bunch of 8,454 soldiers to fight for the British Empire in World War One. Over the time span of 4 years New Zelaand sent over 100,000 citizens for The Great War, fighting and aiding battles in Somme, Passchendaele and Gallipoli. Out of these 100,000, World War One claimed the lives of 18,000 New Zealanders and wounded 41,000. New Zealand soldiers had faced a number of great difficulties and their patience and endurance were tested.
what difficulties did nz soldiers face during the great war?
inexperience + lack of trustA difficulty that these NZ soldiers faced was lack of training and experience. This was a huge problem in the Gallipoli Campaign, many soldiers that were sent to fight were not trained properly and inexperienced in the military field. There was also a lack of weapons like grenades, and iron and timber for the trenches. The troops were under-equipped leaving some soldiers defenseless on the Western Front. Even the ANZAC commanders had inadequate training and preparation and had been thrust into authority, being left to make poor decisions. This left the soldiers quite vulnerable as they were in their unqualified command.
Since the New Zealand soldiers were also inexperienced, having no proper authority made their lives in Gallipoli that much difficult. Along with this there no medical supplies, no canteen stores, no mail and other aspects like no arrangement in fresh rations which were in poor supply. The Empire and those in charge had made enough excuses for why the supplies were so low, and so this resulted in NZ Soldiers beginning to distrust their commanders.
There was also issues with stealing. Barges would disappear overnight and would be found in the morning supporting and framing another trench or dugout. And of course it is difficult to feel safe in an environment were there is a lot of distrust and negativity, along with being fed up with lack of supplies. This disorganization and inexperience led to the high number of New Zealand soldier deaths and casualties, and some historians say that the campaign was doomed from the start.
living conditionsA huge difficulty for the New Zealand soldiers was having to endure the conditions they had to live, eat and breathe in. One may think that living in a trench is bad enough, but what was documented from WW1 New Zealand soldiers experiences, it was even worse than imaginable. In Gallipoli up to 25,000 men had to share a space of less than six square kilometers. One man's area of trench was two to three metres deep, the only form of shelter a shabby blanket or pieces of metal.
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"It was a matter of just a disorganized crowd for those fine brave fellows not knowing where to go, no-one in charge, no orders, no possibility of officers taking charge, because they were all scattered in the scrub. There was no planning... as we were not intended to land there in the first place among all those hills, ravines and precipices." |
"The stench of the dead became as familiar as the flies and the lice, a smell so distinctive that it remained with veterans for the rest of their lives." |
Being in such crowded conditions, space was limited. The latrines were filled up quickly and due to unsanitary conditions diseases like diarrhea, dysentery and typhoid spread like wildfire, even lice was common among soldiers.
Soldiers always had to be alert as living in the trenches were always dangerous as opposing trenches were incredibly close. In some places it was barely four meters away. There was no place within the ANZAC perimeter that was safe from the enemy. Hand grenades or small bombs could be thrown easily from that distance and caused many casualties. I couldn't even imagine how hard it would be trying to sleep thinking you could die any second. Even trying to bathe was a high risk activity. One would have to risk death from shrapnel to go and wash themselves at Anzac Cove so men would've preferred to not take the risk and stay dirty and unkempt. Gas shells were dropped frequently and the effect of these weapons were deadly. Even being slightly gassed would stop someone effected from speaking, sleeping or reading. Due to the conditions being so dangerous, dead bodies were littered everywhere, reminding the soldiers constantly of death's presence. The stench was worse, and rats were crawling everywhere. In the summer living conditions became more repulsive. The combination of rotting bodies, food, feces and unbearable heat were perfect for swarms of flies and disease to reside and spread. |
On top of that there was no natural water source. On average men would only have a half-gallon of water a day. So there were constant shortages in not only water but food also. This, the dirt and exhaustion from fighting reduced the soldiers resistance to disease and deteriorated their health. In winter it was just as bad. Soldiers had to endure rain, snow and blasting wind.
In winter it was difficult for others to send over supplies to Gallipoli as it had to be transported by sea and it was very dangerous to get the boats past the Turkish guns. During winter soldiers were having trouble being sent winter garments and blankets that haven't been infested with lice. This meant that soldiers had to endure the freezing temperatures amongst fighting a battle, avoiding death, disease and infection which obviously is a terrible thing to go through. What these men had to face was simply awful and I truly do not understand how they could fight and stay alert in such conditions, it is greatly admirable.
In winter it was difficult for others to send over supplies to Gallipoli as it had to be transported by sea and it was very dangerous to get the boats past the Turkish guns. During winter soldiers were having trouble being sent winter garments and blankets that haven't been infested with lice. This meant that soldiers had to endure the freezing temperatures amongst fighting a battle, avoiding death, disease and infection which obviously is a terrible thing to go through. What these men had to face was simply awful and I truly do not understand how they could fight and stay alert in such conditions, it is greatly admirable.
medical treatment
For the soldiers who had been wounded and suffered casualties, (which was a great lot) the process to receive medical treatment was often long and brood. Due to the great amount of casualties, specifically at Gallipoli, there were constant shortages in medical supply. At medical stations the wounded were still vulnerable as the area often went under fire.
Conditions were a mess. Most wounded men were not washed and cleaned up, still being left in their torn and blood-stained uniform. There were no beds to rest on, only stretchers and straw mattresses. Some lay in their own mess of blood and muck, dehydrated and awaiting treatment. There were only a few Red Cross orderlies to a great number of men and they were overworked. The injured could barely get any rest and those who did manage to get to sleep were troubled with nightmares of the battlefield and woke up in agony.
Disease was a major issue. With medical supplies running low and due to it being a time before advanced technology and science there wasn't much medical options. During Gallipoli over 75% of ANZAC soldiers had dysentery a painful gut disease and a further 64% had skin sores that became infected easily.
Some men were wounded then had been evacuated then returned then fell ill, got evacuated, returned again and then are wounded a week later. For the soldiers it felt as if there was no escape. That no matter what happened to them they were condemned to return to fight until they were killed or permanently maimed. By September 1915 illness/wound recovery was so bad that there were more New Zealanders recovering in England (2927) than New Zealanders fighting in Gallipoli (2840).
Conditions were a mess. Most wounded men were not washed and cleaned up, still being left in their torn and blood-stained uniform. There were no beds to rest on, only stretchers and straw mattresses. Some lay in their own mess of blood and muck, dehydrated and awaiting treatment. There were only a few Red Cross orderlies to a great number of men and they were overworked. The injured could barely get any rest and those who did manage to get to sleep were troubled with nightmares of the battlefield and woke up in agony.
Disease was a major issue. With medical supplies running low and due to it being a time before advanced technology and science there wasn't much medical options. During Gallipoli over 75% of ANZAC soldiers had dysentery a painful gut disease and a further 64% had skin sores that became infected easily.
Some men were wounded then had been evacuated then returned then fell ill, got evacuated, returned again and then are wounded a week later. For the soldiers it felt as if there was no escape. That no matter what happened to them they were condemned to return to fight until they were killed or permanently maimed. By September 1915 illness/wound recovery was so bad that there were more New Zealanders recovering in England (2927) than New Zealanders fighting in Gallipoli (2840).
emotional mindset
Along with dead bodies being littered everywhere and the stench becoming an everyday smell like the smell of grass when one walks outside, a difficulty soldiers faced was being in an environment where death was everywhere. In every ten men that served at Gallipoli, nearly nine were killed or wounded and around 300 of those men died from disease. For NZ soldiers this wasn't exactly the greatest motivator. Along with this and quite constant unsuccessful attacks against the enemy, being outnumbered, and having the disadvantage as the Turks were on high ground, New Zealand soldiers lost most of their fighting strength and their confidence was low.
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Losing comrades and old friends to war can either motivate a soldier to fight harder or to discourage them. Well it would make them quite emotional and in a tired state. Some New Zealanders would've been quite homesick and lonely. Receiving mail from loved ones would always put the heart at temporary ease. But mail wasn't an easy thing to get while at war. Mail could be overdue, lost, sunk or blown to smithereens on its journey. And this would disappoint. A soldier from New Zealand wrote in a letter to loved ones, "The NZ mail is overdue again and we have been expecting it daily for some days now... It is most unfortunate that they should all get lost or sunk. I know the feeling when no letters arrive." (reference in bibliography) And I can imagine it was a long agonizing wait to get their letters sent to New Zealand too, even when they were able to write letters there were people called censors who cut most things people wrote, restricting soldiers to so little to talk about.
whAt difficulties did nz soldiers fAce After the greAt wAr?
"'Saw doctor who said there was nothing for me but hospital. all my joints stiff and sore and hands almost useless. Can only walk with great difficulty.' Five days later on 3 January , he 'saw doctor... who told me I would never be fit for active service so guess that I'm about played out now.'" |
For those New Zealand soldiers that served overseas and returned after World War One finished they would've went through a number of difficulties. Soldiers had to wait a long time to get sent home after the war was over, as the supply of troop ships were delayed. Obviously they wouldn't of had found that fair and it would've been difficult as all they wanted to do was get home. And after all they'd been through, the least someone could do for them was send them home.
A lot of men that survived that were deemed permenantly unfit to further active service. This definitely restricted ones career options. Just because the war was over doesn't mean that these soldiers still weren't fighting, or didn't just forget. Wellington College had 1643 old boys that were sent to fight in World War One, from that 222 died and 350 were wounded. Some of the wounded died years later due to their injuries or were permanently maimed. A Wellington College old boy Wilfred Fitchett was gassed in 1917 at Messines and once he returned home to the family farm after the war he had to give up his career of farming as the smell of different chemicals used to drench sheep made him violently ill. |
There were a lot of men that survived that were deemed permenantly unfit to further active service. This definitely restricted ones career options. Also a difficulty soldiers would've faced was returning to normal routine once they got home. This included regaining a relationship with people they knew before the war but would've moved forward without them, a lot would've changed in the time they were away. It also was difficult for soldiers to move forward from their experiences in the war, neither one of those soldiers who survived would be the same. Some would be shell-shocked or disfigured, haunted by what they witnessed and endured during the war.
It would also be hard to face other comrades or those you know who died families or friends. I suppose it would bring back memories they wish not to remember.
It would also be hard to face other comrades or those you know who died families or friends. I suppose it would bring back memories they wish not to remember.
My conclusion from the collection of evidence for the difficulties soldiers faced during/after WW1 is that it seemed plain awful and unimaginable. Most of these pieces of evidence are from Gallipoli and it is no wonder why it was such a great failure. Living conditions were horrific and I can't imagine how some of these soldiers pulled through and kept fighting every day they were in that death trap. I suppose that's why we commend the NZ soldiers so much because with all they've been put through they still managed to put up a great fight and those who survived could come home and tell their stories and those who didn't will always be remembered through the heart of our country.