William (Willie) Lynch has "more than a casual interest" in World War I (WWI) and fully recognises the role New Zealand soldiers played - so it is only natural that he's put his support behind a project honouring Kiwi soldiers in France.
Willie's father James (Jim) Lynch and uncle Thomas (Tom) Lynch both served in World War I - Jim was part of the 2nd Otago Regiment, while Tom served as part of the Otago Infantry Battalion and spent time as a prisoner of war based at a camp in Hameln, Germany, after first surviving atrocious conditions in 'The Black Hole of Lille'.
As was common for soldiers arriving back home after the war, Jim and Tom each went on to establish dairy farms following their return to New Zealand. Their first attempt to set up a farm at Kaihere in 1919 was abandoned after several years due to the 'peat swamp' nature of the land, with the brothers moving on to establish dairy farms at Kerepehi on the Hauraki Plains.
The Kerepehi farms are still in the Lynch family today, being owned by Michael Lynch and farmed by his son Richard along with other adjoining dairy farmland. Their sister Eileen Leonard still owns and resides on the Leonard family farm in Ngatea first settled in 1910 via a ballot purchase scheme for early settlers. Her son Patrick and wife Kristin 50/50 sharemilk this property as well as owning a further dairy farm at Mangatarata.
Willie, who was previously a Chartered Accountant in Paeroa and has a farming interest in other dairy land at Kerepehi as well as in the South Island, says his own family experiences with World War I meant he has always had a strong interest in history and feels passionately about advocating for New Zealand soldiers and helping to tell their story.
This has led him to put his support behind a project aimed at honouring Kiwi soldiers who fought on the Western Front. The project will see a memorial museum, the New Zealand Liberation Museum - Te Arawhata, officially opened at Le Quesnoy, France next month.
While our other allies established memorial facilities on the Western Front following World War I, New Zealand is yet to do so. Described as a 'living memorial', the new facility will tell the unique story of the liberation of Le Quesnoy and the wider story of New Zealand's contributions to WWI through an immersive and interactive experience where people can gather to remember, connect, reflect, share and engage. It will be based inside a historic 1890s mansion, with the visitor experience being brought to life by Wellington-based Wētā Workshop.
The project is being driven by the New Zealand Memorial Museum Trust - Le Quesnoy, which was registered as a charity in 2011 and is led by Chair Rt.Hon. Sir Don McKinnon ONZ, GCVO. The Trust is funding the ambitious project but further funds are still required.
Willie is a major patron for the project and says it is his sense of appreciation for the sacrifices made by Kiwi soldiers that has compelled him to put his support behind it.
"The fact that our servicemen contributed to the Allied war effort has helped make New Zealand what it is today - we've had freedom, total freedom, along with lifestyle and job opportunities that we otherwise would not have had," says Willie.
"What we think are problems today would not be considered real problems when you are in the heat of battle. These guys were dodging bullets every minute of every day, while comrades on either side of them were getting shot and they just had to carry on and hope they made it through. You can't really comprehend that. We have 12,500 soldiers buried on the Western Front alone."
For those reasons Willie encourages others to support the project.
"This is what I call 'a Project of National Significance'. If we reflect on where we are now and where we would otherwise be if New Zealand Allies hadn't been successful in the war effort, we would be in an entirely different place," Willie says. "And not a place where any of us would want to be."
"In saying this I also reflect on the large number of Dutch immigrants currently involved in the New Zealand dairy industry. They have collectively and individually all made an enormous contribution to the industry and where it is today, definitely to New Zealand's gain. Their country's experience in both World Wars is quite different to ours but nevertheless still quite harrowing so, for me, having a lot of Dutch names up on the Partner Donor board in the Museum would be great to see. Personally I have a lot of respect for them and their undoubted ability, dedication and work ethic - in fact I salute them," says Willie.
"We therefore all have an enormous amount to thank our war veterans for, so I encourage everyone to donate to the Trust and thank you in advance for your donations."
For more information about the New Zealand Liberation Museum - Te Arawhata project or to donate, visit nzmmtlq.nz.
The Le Quesnoy story
New Zealand's last battle in World War I took place in Le Quesnoy, France - a town occupied by German soldiers and surrounded by a complex layer of walls and moats.
Known as the Battle of Sambre, it saw New Zealand soldiers take a cautious approach to avoid damage to the town and loss of civilian lives. Rather than use heavy artillery, the New Zealand Division risked their lives to scale the outer walls using ladders and eventually enter and secure the town from the Germans.
After four long years of German occupation, the citizens of Le Quesnoy were finally freed by New Zealand soldiers on 4 November 1918. The liberation of the walled town via ladder meant no civilians were killed in the battle, however many Kiwi soldiers lost their lives. Current research shows 196 New Zealanders are known to have died between 1-7 November 1918 - or later from injuries sustained in this period - with three quarters of these casualties occurring on 4 November alone.
The liberation of Le Quesnoy began an enduring friendship between the people of the town and New Zealand, which has only strengthened over time. New Zealanders are welcomed with open arms in the town, while street names like Rue de la Nouvelle Zélande and Place des All Blacks tell of the Kiwi connection. The Waikato town of Cambridge also has a formal 'Sister City' relationship with Le Quesnoy.